Vex Hunter - Rewrite
by Scrumblenut
Summary: I'll get to a proper summary eventually, but for now, you get this message. Revising once more, adding more detail and changing a few backstories.
1. Chapter 1

Before Irish or Hannah could argue further, I rappel down the harpoon cable. Neither of them should sacrifice themselves for this. They had promising lives ahead of them, while I… I have already lost everything. My family, my friends, Dunn, Hawkins. With the detonator and charge in hand, I place it on the hull of the battleship. A wolf stuck in a trap would chew off their own leg to survive. With a single movement, the charge detonates, along with all the others. For a moment, I feel an immeasurable amount of pain, before I feel no more. I see no more. I breathe no more. It was over.

**A/N - Extremely short chapter here now. A lot of things were bugging me with how to reword the start of the story, and eventually, it came down to this. I never really planned to have basic firearm and combat skill to be explained through training or similar, as I honestly don't know how I would word or explain it, so I figured this may be an easier way to start it all off, by doing the one thing that wasn't possible to choose for the ending of the campaign.**


	2. Dreams

Death was meant to stay eternal. But I guess the universe was pissed off, or had a vendetta against me. Definitely seemed the case considering I was physically blown to pieces by the C4 charges, and am somehow still alive. Why couldn't things be simple for once.

"Then it wouldn't really be a proper way of life." I answer myself aloud. 24 years I lived. People always stated they wanted a long, peaceful life. Mind you I never shared those views. But for the here and now, the present moment, the place around me was darkness. A void of sorts. Definitely not something I enjoy. If I'm not moving around or doing something productive, my mind tends to wander in a dangerous way. Depression is a bitch. The darkness begins to fade, slowly being replaced by a golden light.

I could not move. I could barely even breathe. A crack of thunder, and fork of lightning gives me a brief glance at what lay ahead. The brightness of the strike faded the golden glow to reveal a single crystal, before the glow returned in full force, threatening to blind me. In fear of such a thing happening, I close my eyes, and with strain, take a step forward. Gravity seemingly several times stronger than the Earth attempts to force me to kneel, yet I did not.

Another step, this one painful, as though the gravity was increasing. My eyes still closed, I take a third step. A melodic hymn enters my ears, it's siren-like call urging me to push forward. Another step, and another, the pain begins to ease, yet the strain continues to increase. Again, closer and closer I get to the song, taking steps I don't even consciously notice, until my hand hits stone. The light was seeping passed my closed eyelids. I begin to feel the stone structure that I had hit, building the image in my mind as my hand passes each detail.

Once confident enough to grasp an image of what lay in-front, I reach above. If my mental image was accurate, then a pedestal stood before me. Above it however, I did not know. But I was curious, and continued to grasp empty air, until a small object brushed my fingertips. Another crash of thunder, another lightning strike, and once more, darkness.

**A/N - Still figuring out more ways to word all this. Oh well, I'll get there one day.**


	3. Voices

"The time to fight is now!"

"Without me, you'll never be free!"

"Patience, young one."

"Our time has come!"

"A man can have anything… If he is willing to sacrifice!"

"I'm not accepting surrenders."

"NO! WE WONT GET ANOTHER CHANCE! KEEP PRESSING THE ATTACK!"

"We are who we are, and to change for anything other than survival is a fate worse than death."

"Like a million daggers, our power is divine."

"I want utter defeat, crashing down upon you."

"Then you will die!"

"We all have to disappear, completely off the map!"

"A home is the people you interact with, not the place."

"I will destroy everything you love."

"ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON SHIP!"

"LOOK OUT!"

"WHERE ARE OUR REINFORCEMENTS?!"

"I'M HIT!"

"General, behind you!"

"Lets make the end memorable!"

"I promised to protect you, and I failed… I am so sorry."

"I'll stand with you until I die, Sir."

"A wolf stuck in a trap will chew off its own leg to survive… Fire!"

"This wasn't how it was supposed to go."

"This was meant to be a new start, really."

"Nothing lasts forever, nor are things set in stone. Time is always in motion."

"FOR THE REPUBLIC!"

"He took everything… My wife, my child…"

"This goes deeper than I thought."

"I won't leave you! Not this time."

The darkness fades once more, and I find myself younger, weakened, and in an unknown environment. I was lanky, yet still muscled. Weak, yet able to adapt. I had all my memories, the experience I could use to survive. The sound of marching brings my mind into focus. If this place is under any kind of military occupation, I doubt it will be a good sign for me. The buildings surrounding the area were as tall as skyscrapers, their visage looking more like large crystal structures, reaching for the heavens. A similar hymn to what I had heard earlier calls from one of the buildings, it's song light and faint from distance, yet it felt impossible to silence. I enter the building without conscious thought.

I find an elevator and take it to the top, the song increasing in volume and intensity. As the doors opened, the once likely beautiful view from the height is ruined by a seemingly endless number of robots… But somehow, my presence seems to be hidden from them, until a soldier blasted his way to me and begins hauling me along, pushing me into a troop transport. He moves to join, but is gunned down by the onslaught of enemies, which continued to pile on the rooftop. His body falls, but before his weapon could fall with him, I grab it and aim at the robots.

The first one to enter my sights is downed instantly, it's head being blown off. In the corner of my eye, I notice another soldier yanks the head off a different type of robot, before jumping onto the transport, which begins to depart the overwhelmed rooftop. A gloved hand is placed on the barrel of the rifle in my hand. I adjust my hold and let the weapon be taken from my grasp.

"Who are you, kid?" A voice calls to me. I don't bother turning to face the person who spoke, let alone give an answer. I simply stay in the same position, the actions of that soldier reminding me of painful memories.

"Leave him for now, Rex." A gentle voice states, granting me a small amount of peace for the moment. The remainder of the journey was quiet, yet the tension in the transport was palpable, even once we had landed and the doors were opened. At this point, a hand is gently placed on my shoulder. "Come on, kid." He guides me through the rush of armoured soldiers, into a lone building, gesturing for me to take a seat on the bench to the side. He takes a seat next to me. "You alright?" He asks hesitantly.

"I don't know." I reply.

"Can you tell me your name?" He asks. The question makes me pause. I more than one full name.

"Vex Hunter." I answer, the first name that I was known by easily rolling off my tongue. "You?" I ask, turning to face the man, his messy brown hair seeming out of place for a soldier of war.

"Anakin Skywalker." He introduces, holding out his hand, which I grasp in greeting. "I'm curious though. We had the area evacuated of civilians, how did you get there?" Anakin asks.

"I died." I answer bluntly, to Anakin's confusion. Before he could ask further, his comlink began to chime. Activating it, he brings it closer to his face.

"Skywalker here." He states.

"General. We need you in the Command Centre." The soldier on the other end informs, to which Anakin sighs gently.

"On my way." He answers, deactivating the device. "Come on, kid." Both of us stand, and Anakin guides me to the Command Centre, where two soldiers, and another man in similar garb to Anakin awaits.

"You brought the kid?" The soldier with blue trimmings on his armour asks in concern and curiosity.

"Someone's gotta keep an eye on him, Rex." Anakin retorts with a smirk.

"Not like I'm that much trouble." I note aloud with a slight glare.

"Anyway, what did you find?" Anakin asks, returning to the reason he was called.

"They knew all our intel, General. Our positions, our plans, everything about what we were going to so." The other soldier, his armour consisting of yellow trimmings.

"Then how could we have left ourselves so vulnerable to a security breach?" Anakin asks.

"I don't think we did." The man with ginger-like hair replies, stoking his beard in thought.

"Your think someone infiltrated our defences?" Anakin questions, seemingly reading the man's mind.

"Possibly." Obi-Wan muses.

"But that still wouldn't explain how they got our intel." Rex notes.

"No. Your right." Obi-Wan agrees. "They wouldn't act alone. They'd have someone working with them."

"A spy, sir? But who would want to betray our troops to the Seppies?" The other soldier asks.

"That's the question." I mutter.

"I think it would be a good idea to take a peak behind enemy lines." The Ewan McGregor look alike states.

"Rex, Cody, see if you can find the breach. We'll be back as soon as possible." Anakin explains, moving away from the centre of the room, with 'Ewan' following him, both of them already beginning to banter with each other. Once they were gone, the room became more quiet, to the point where a faint beeping caught everyone's attention. On one of the consoles, a lone transmitter lay activated.

"That can't be good." I note.

"It's not." Either Rex or Cody state, whichever one was in the blue trimmed armour. "Our 'Breach' now knows what the Jedi are doing."

"Jedi?" I ask, unsure what he meant, other than it involving Anakin and his companion.

"Better that they explain it themselves." The soldier in yellow trimmed armour states. "I'll see if I can contact them." He moves to the console and begins the sequence to connect them to the Jedi, only for static to answer. "Jammed. They'll have a trap set up in all likelihood." A sudden sound in the hallway catches our attention, where a humanoid silhouette stood watching.

"Hey, you! Stop right there!" The soldier in blue calls out, stupidly in my opinion, before both he and his companion rush off to chase the silhouette. A dome headed robot then rolls up to me, beeping curiously.

"Sorry, buddy. I can't understand you. Can you talk to me any other way?" I ask the little robot, who spins his domed head, before plugging in to the console, and projecting a frequency table. "You want me to look at this?" I ask, to which an affirmative appears on the hologram. At first glance, it seems normal, with regular chatter throughout the barracks littering across. But every now and then, a longer ranged communication would cause a spike in the overall table. It showed as a spotty, irregular frequency every few days, before disappearing again. "That isn't normal is it?" I ask. Before the robot could answer, both Rex and Cody return.

"One of us? Why?" The soldier in yellow asks.

"You know, you should probably introduce yourselves properly, otherwise I'm gonna start giving you names like Blue and Yellow." I interrupt, earning their immediate attention, both on me and the frequency table still projecting.

"Rex." The soldier in blue states simply, an unamused look on his face.

"And that makes you Cody." I say, turning my gaze to the soldier in yellow. At least I have names now. "Now get your asses over here and take a look at this." With that, both of them move to my side, both eyeing the frequency table. "Notice anything unusual?"

"Yeah. Every few days, there is one unusual transmission. On a regular basis, you wouldn't notice it." Rex admits. The robot then whistles something, to which both Rex and Cody raise a brow at. "From Slick's barracks?"

"Slick's not gonna like that." Cody notes.

"Well, I hope you two have fun with that. I'm off to go find a shooting range." I say, walking off before a gloved hand on my shoulder halts me in my steps.

"Sorry, kid. But we can't leave you out of our sight." Rex admits sheepishly. With a sigh of acceptance I gesture for them to lead the way. Cody opens a transmission with Slick and orders him to his barracks, while Rex alls the rest of the squad, giving them the same order. As we walk to the barracks, Rex speaks up. "Kid. The trooper that got you onto the Gunship was one of Slick's men. I can't guarantee they will be all that happy to see you there." He says solemnly.

"I don't blame them. But if any of them push too far, don't expect me to stay quiet." I state. They guide me through a set of doors, where a lone soldier stood waiting. Rex and Cody immediately begin relaying what they knew about the traitor to him, explaining how irregular transmission frequencies were originating from his barracks, and how his men were subject to questioning.

"No way. My guys are the best." The soldier, Slick, argues. "No way they're capable of something like this."

"Something like what?" A voice calls out as the door opens and four soldiers make their way in and stand by the seat nearby.

"You called them here?" Slick asks, seemingly surprised.

"Of course we did." Rex states.

"We need to get to the bottom of this." Cody adds.

"Look, let me have a few minutes with them first. It's gonna hit them hard." Slick says to Cody, though his actions at this point were concerning, at least in my eyes.

"Your men were the best, you said. I think they can handle this." Rex began. "Take a seat, gentlemen." With practised discipline, the four of them sit without question. "We have a turncoat in our midst. And evidence points to this squad." At this, the soldiers all look at one another, uncertainty and confusion evident on their faces. Rex makes his way to the closest trooper to him.

"What's your story, trooper?" He asks.

"I don't know. I was doing the things I always do after missions." He speaks, a little jumpy.

"Things like what?" Cody presses.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm just a little nervous. You're my C.O." He replies.

"The way I figure it, you tell the truth, you got nothing to be nervous about." Cody notes.

"Jester is telling the truth, sir. He cleans his weapon after every mission. First thing, every time." The soldier next to him backs him up. Jester passes his rifle over to Rex, who inspects it, before returning it to the soldier.

"What about you? Were you cleaning your weapon too?" He asks the soldier who stood up for Jester.

"No, sir. I was hungry. After coming here and seeing Jester, I went to the mess." He replies immediately.

"Anyone with you?" Cody asks.

"Sketch, sir." He motions to the soldier next to him.

"We got to the mess at the same time, got our grub, and sat together." Sketch affirms with a single nod.

"Anyone else in the mess able to confirm?" Cody prods further.

"Ask any of them, sir." Sketch answers.

"We will." Rex assures and moves toward the soldier half hidden by his bunk, having moved there shortly after being told to sit.

"So, Chopper, old boy. What's your alibi?" Rex asks.

"I was in the mess hall." He states dryly.

"No you weren't! I mean.. you…" Sketch tries to back down, realising that he may have just caused more trouble.

"Kid, if you know something, you should speak up." Rex says.

"Chopper came in a lot later… After everyone else." He replies reluctantly.

"So where were you before you went to the mess Chopper?" Cody asks.

"Nowhere. Walking around." He replies, tone still monotonous and dry.

"Chopper, we need to catch this traitor. Even if you fear about revealing what you were doing, it's better than being accused of betrayal." I speak up for the first time. His eyes showed a deep pain, and not one that could be used to betray the soldiers he fights beside. Chopper sighs in defeat.

"I was hiding at the south exit. Didn't want anyone to see me string these together." He shows a ring of metal fingers.

"This isn't good Chopper. Lying about where you were, taking forbidden items from the battlefield. How can any of us believe your words now." Cody pushes, too far in my opinion, though still necessary.

"Wait, no! Hang on! I'm no spy!" He stands up, and I move to stand next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and shaking my head, warning him that he is not helping.

"It's okay. We'll get you a proper investigation. You don't have to say anything until the Jedi come back." Slick slips up. No one knew that the Jedi were gone. Chopper, along with the other soldiers in his squad eye him curiously due to his words, proof that they were wondering why the Jedi were gone, and if they were, how did their Sergeant even know.

"That's your second mistake Slick." I say before anyone else could speak. "The first one was not using a different terminal to the one only your squad has access to." A frown appears on my face, something wasn't right. My instincts were screaming at me in warning.

"I really wish you hadn't noticed that, kid." He says darkly, before rolling away from us and out the door. Rex and Cody immediately rush after him, leaving the squad alone with me, and a quiet beeping now echoing through the room.

"Ah, shit." I mutter, realising too late that we were fucked. Before I could comprehend the feeling, I was tackled to the floor as the room detonated in an explosion, the sound ringing in my ears. Once it faded, I move to get up, only to find myself pinned down by an armoured body that wouldn't budge. "Rex? Cody?" I call out, their names the first that come to mind. No response. Again, I try to move the body, still no luck. I was trapped, unable to move. Frustrated, I slam my free hand on the ground, the action somehow removing the weight off me, allowing me to stand.

The room was charred, and three mostly intact bodies littered the room, the fourth one having been shredded beyond recognition. Slick had just murdered his entire squad. Another explosion shakes the foundations of the building. I move to leave the barracks, only for my foot to kick something. Kneeling down, I grab the object. It was Jester's rifle. A little charred, but seemingly intact. A weapon now in hand, I rush out of the room and make my way back to the command centre. I stop by the door, voices halting my footsteps.

"-aranteed the best odds, right? You knew I was here." Slick voice hisses through the door.

"Of course we knew. You think we wouldn't have a plan?" Cody's voice replies.

"But I'm not the traitor. YOU ARE!" Slick shouts, the sound of two bodies hitting the floor, and the door sensors triggering, opening them, Slick stands above both Rex and Cody, who were both on the ground in pain. "All of you just blindly follow orders, for what? At least I got something out of all this suffering. I got my freedom!" I aim down the sights of the rifle, as Slick moves to grab a loaded weapon of his own, and I pull the trigger, the sound of the bolt echoing in the sudden silence, interrupted as Slick's cold, lifeless body hits the floor.

"Good shot." A familiar voice says to me, as a hand is placed on my shoulder. I turn to see Anakin looking at Slick's body with a frown, his companion standing beside him.

"Fucker murdered his own squad. I wasn't planning on letting him live." I state with venom. I lower the weapon, before moving to the holo-table and placing the rifle down. Rex and Cody stand themselves back up shakily.

"He didn't fight like one of us. His hits had more power to them as well. We stood no chance." Rex explains, pain radiating from his voice. "He destroyed most of our armour. All that's left are the heavy cannons."

"Well that isn't good. The Separatists have a full invasion force coming after us. They'll reach us sometime next rotation." 'McGregor' states, his shoulders slumping.

"Hmm. Rex, can you bring up a map of the base and the surrounding area?" I ask, an idea coming to mind. A map of the whole base, along with the Crystal City that surrounded the base. "If they want to drive us off planet, I assume they will come for the base. The whole city will be the battlefield, and should give us more of an advantage." I explain, pointing to the main passages through the city. "If we set up about five blocks from the city edge, we should be able to slow them down enough for the cannons, which will be set up at the 15th block in, and 20th block in." Rex types a few commands, and a simulation of how the set up would look appears.

"I'll send up several squads to get a perimeter set up." Cody explains, before heading off. For now, we had to fight.

**A Few Days Later, following a recent retret of Separatist Forces**

From the scope of the rifle I held, a large impact hits several meters off from where Anakin and Obi-Wan were standing, their heads snapping to where the shot originated.

"Seems they're back." I say through the ever active comlink by my side.

"I told you this victory was too easy. We never should have sent the ship back for supplies." Obi-Wan slightly static voice comes through.

"It wasn't my idea to send the ship back." Anakin snaps back swiftly.

"Just get your men out there. I'll continue doing my job." I bite back, before switching frequencies. "You know the drill. Pick your target row and pick them off one by one." I order, and within seconds, barrages of ionised blaster fire focuses towards the oncoming assault. The incessant chatter as each soldier relays which droid sect they target becoming a constant hymn. The only other sound being the AV-7 Anti-Vehicle Heavy Cannons firing on their own targets, the deafening sound faded by distance.

I move my crosshairs onto the larger, more armoured droids further back in the columns, my breathing in sinc with each shot I take. Before I had joined the Armed Forces back home, I would often go to the local firing range to ease the stress of the weeks. The rythm as you breathe in, aligning your sights on a target, breathe out, keeping steady, and pulling the trigger before repeating the process. If it were physically possible, I would have stayed there all day, the constant buzz of thoughts completely absent on the range.

Before long, the droids fall back, as their numbers were dropping fast, and the cannons were shredding their armour. Instead of leaving them to retreat, I continued to down droids until they were no longer in range, something not often done as a normal practise. The low thrum of an engine passes overhead, a Republic shuttle, which landed a few blocks behind Anakin and Obi-Wan. I place my rifle on the ground, before picking up my comlink.

"I'm heading down there. Stay sharp and contact me if you see anything." I switch off the comlink, before grabing onto the grapple rope and sliding down to the ground. Having been in the Military in Australia as well as the United States meant I picked up numerous things that I likely would not have if I had been in only one state military. I knew tactics, guerilla warfare, marksmanship and how to pilot a fighter jet to name a few. "Looks like reinforcements… But it seems too soon." I murmur to myself. The Shuttle was the same one we had sent up for a resupply, but there is no way that it returned that fast with what we need.

As I walk up to the Shuttle, I note a few things that ring warning bells in my mind. First, there was no stock of supplies, no new troops, nothing to help us in that way. Second…

"Someone mind explaining why there is a kid on an active battlefield?" I ask, the fact that I was in a 14 year old body completely phasing out of my thought process. Said kid was a species I had no clue existed, though from the look, the species was one of predators. My eyes then turn to look at Anakin properly, though his eyes were questioning the same thing I was.

"I'm not a kid! I'm a Padawan!" The kid squawks in protest, interrupting my thought process.

"Like I said. A kid." I then turn my gaze to Obi-Wan. Any attempt to reply to my question is halted, however, as a hologram of a small little troll-like creature appears.

"Master Kenobi, glad Ahsoka found you, I am." He creature states with relief, his shoulders no longer looking weighed down.

"Master Yoda, we are trapped here, and vastly outnumbered. We are in no position to go anywhere or do anything. Our Support Ships have all been destroyed." Obi-Wan reports, emphasising our need for help.

"Send reinforcements to you, we will… we… wi… and... who…" The response fizzled and stuttered before disappearing completely

"Signal's being jammed." I note. The effect similar to a controlled EMP. "For now, we're on our own." I walk to the door, only for Obi-Wan's voice to stop me in my steps.

"My apologies, young one. It's time for a proper introduction." He states.

"I'm the new Padawan Learner, Ahsoka Tano." She introduces.

"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, your new Master." Anakin's eyes flicker in response to what is likely a memory at the word Master, the implications of my observance disturbing me.

"I'm at your service Master Kenobi, but I'm afraid I've been assigned to Master Skywalker." The kid explains sheepishly, gesturing to Anakin, who almost has a panic attack.

"What? No, no, no. There must be some mistake. He is the one who wanted the Padawan." Anakin points at Obi-Wan, who was having difficulty in containing a sly smirk.

"No. Master Yoda was very specific. I'm assigned to Anakin Skywalker and he is to supervise my Jedi training." Ahsoka explains with an innocent smile.

"Honestly, that makes me feel more at ease." I admit aloud.

"What?" Anakin asks in confusion.

"Well, considering that Obi-Wan intended to even bring a kid, even if they are a Jedi in training, into a Battlefield, I don't fucking trust him to have a Padawan right now. At least with Anakin, I can be assured he won't purposefully put her in danger unless she disobeys an order." I explain.

"You do realise how hypocritical you sound, right?" Obi-Wan asks, a smile on his face.

"When you blow up a Battleship, along with yourself, at an age older than your current physical body, then you can call me a fucking hypocrite." I bite back in anger. "I also know you probed my mind one night, while I was reliving that moment in a nightmare. So let me be more clear: I. Don't. Fucking. Trust. You." With that, I storm out of the shuttle, ignoring the looks sent my way, though I could somehow feel Anakin's sorrowed gaze on my back, before he turned back to Obi-Wan, and I feel a spike of frustration. I need to get my emotions in check. Unconsciously, I begin to rapple back up to where I left my rifle. Once back, I notice a distant red glow beyond the horizon, one that hadn't been there before. The chime of my comlink brings my mind back to focus.

"I take it you noticed it too." I state simply.

"Yeah. You good?" Anakin's voice asks gently.

"I will be once I start shooting. Until then, you might want to warn the men against coming to see me." I advise. If it had been a simple kind of anger, one where no one had used powers to see into your mind, then I might not have bothered to advise against people seeing me. But this is a new experience. I don't intend to let it occur without protection for others in place in case the worst happens."From what I've seen of you, Vex, that wasn't normal. What's up?" Denal asks, his concern audible. "Leave the transmission on. I should still hear about the plan of attack, even if I'm not going to physically join you."

"Good idea." Anakin admits. Once everyone was around what I could guess was a holo-table, we began to plan.

"The shield generator is somewhere in this area, a good ten klicks from the edge of the city. They are slowly increasing the diameter and keeping it just ahead of their troops." Obi-Wan notes, ensuring to give enough detail for me as I was not there to see where 'this area' is.

"Heavy Cannons are going to be useless against that." Cody explains with irritation.

"As they get closer, I suppose we could try to draw them into the buildings. This might level the playing field a bit." Obi-Wan muses.

"That was why I suggested the current layout, Kenobi. It will not only slow them down, but in large numbers, force them to either split up into smaller groups, or pile together, giving us an advantage either way. But the tanks are gonna be the main issue. Without those cannons, they will eventually march right on up to them, and take them out."

"If that shield's gonna be such a problem, why don't we just take it out?" Ahsoka asks innocently.

"While that may be easier said than done, it's the only thing we can do if we want to live through this." I agree solemnly. "Two people could find a way through their lines and blow it to Helheim."

"Well, since Ahsoka suggested it, why doesn't she and Anakin go ahead with that mission?" Ob-Wan wonders aloud.

"It's the safest place she can be. Especially for one inexperienced in battle." I say, earning a glare from the kid. "Trust me, Ahsoka. Until you have learned enough about strategy and tactics, I'm not letting you go directly into battle. Subterfuge, sabotage, intelligence gathering and other small jobs will be what you do until I believe you to be ready to cope in combat."

"But I'm perfectly capable of fighting off droids!" She exclaims.

"It's not your skill that concerns me. It's how you will deal with the mental strain in combat." I state. "Besides, you are still going to fight, just not where most of the enemy will be at."

"He's got a point, Snips. This kind of thing will at least prepare you for when you do lead soldiers into battle." Anakin agrees.

"And how is that?" Ahsoka asks.

"Experience outranks everything." Rex and I say simultanously, earning a chuckle from Anakin.

"What they said. Come on." Anakin calls for her, as he begins to walk off, finally ending the transmission, leaving me in relative silence.

"As soon as the shield passes you, open fire." I order. The shield continued to close in, slowly but surely, until at last, it passed by me, and I began to open fire on the marching droids. Breathe, shoot, breathe shoot, the rythm once more fading everything else into background noise, as one by one, the droids continued to fall. By the time the final marksman was within the shield, the droids were pushed back to the point where they could barely advance. Obi-Wan and his men were on the front lines and would draw the enemy into the buidlings, where the droids would not return, yet several more troops would. This pattern continued until finally, the shield faded away, as the generator was either disabled or destroyed. The loud cacophany of the cannons returned as they shreded through the armoured vehicles. This battle was won.

**A/N - Hmmm… Wonder how this will go in the minds of others. Hopefully in a better way than before, but it remains to be seen.**


	4. A Kidnapped Hutt

At first, the fact that we were tasked with rescuing a kidapped Huttlet was simply a bad idea. Bring up the details on the Hutts, makes it an even worse idea. Then you add on every other little fucking detail, you would think we were on a suicide mission. Sadly, there was jack shit we could really do about it other than go along with the plan. All seemed fine until the gunship departed the Cruiser, when Flak began to pepper the sky around us. With an ace pilot, a shit ton of luck, and the Force on our side, we made in down, where we are immediately deployed.

"Green light. Go, go, go!" Rex calls, as the men depart. Anakin ignites his azure lightsaber, deflecting oncoming fire, Ahsoka nearby, her green lightsaber in reverse grip, following his lead. My feet land on the forest grounds, and having been the last one to exit the gunship, it departs, returning to the Cruiser out of range of the enemy. With swift feet, I rush over to the cliff face, backing myself against it for cover. Before any of us move to fire cables, a lone droid falls down, surviving the initial landing, only for his micro-binoculars to land on his neck, knocking enough crcuits loose to keep him down.

"Definitely not the brightest bunch." I note with a hint of humour, yet it didn't last long, as those equipped with cables fired thm at the top of the ridge. Once secured, they detach the cable from their rifles and begin to climb.

"Race you to the top?" Anakin goads his new Padawan.

"I'll give you a head-start." Ahsoka banters back, earning a sly smile from Anakin in return.

"Your mistake." Anakin says cheerfully, leaping higher than the norm and grabbing a hold of the nearest ascension cable, swiftly climbing up the cliff. I glance at Ahsoka, who had her eyes fixed on a walker, her mind whirring in thought before she leaps onto the vehicle and begins deflecting any bolt that got too close.

"I guess that leaves me to climb as normal." I think aloud, before grasping an ascension cable of my own and begin to climb. The continuous barrage of blaster fire that rains down on us is overwhelming, let alone the few droid bodies that would also fall down after being shot too close to the edge. The hum of small engines grab my attention, as small attack speeders make a run against the walkers, namely the one that Ahsoka was currently on. The speeders open fire, and While Ahsoka is able to deflect any shots aimed for her, she couldn't stop the bolts aimed for the legs. With a small explosion of rock, the front two legs of the walker lose their footing, causing the whole thing to lurch, throwing Ahsoka to the edge of the pilot canotpy, holding on for dear life. On instinct, I use the ascension cable to swing over to the walker, where I grasp Ahsoka's lightsaber and activate it in my own reverse grip. The speeders come back for another pass, but this time, focus fire on the one holding the glowing weapon, me. The speeders on the left and right fire on me, while Anakin leaps on the one in the middle. With inhuman reflexes, I deflect each bolt back at the speeders, taking them both out as Ahsoka gets back up. Deactivating her weapon, I hand it back to her.

"Thanks." She says quietly. Anakin then zooms past, having removed the previous pilot of the speeder and now used it himself.

"Try to keep up!" He taunts, before going further up and causing havoc against the spider droids.

"Pilot, considering his tendencies, we might want to catch up to him double time." I inform the pilot, who immediately speeds up the walker. As we climb, the blaster fire begins to fade down, until we were no longer being shot at. As the walker curls over the cliff edge, the sight of three Droideka's surrounding Anakin entered our sight, their shields already active. Ahsoka glances at the now empty seat of the main cannon and takes her place, aiming at the three droids.

"Blast it, Ahsoka. I told you to stay close to me." Anakin curses, having not realised our presence. At that moment, Ahsoka fires the cannon, the high powered plasma rounds too much for the Droideka's shields, decimating them in an instant.

"Can't get much closer, Skyguy." Ahsoka says with a smile, a slight swing in her step as she joins his side.

"I knew you'd get here… eventually." Anakin banters.

"Always in time to save your life." She retorts. Though instead of them continuing to speak in humour, the mission was still in place.

"Rex, have the men set up positions and take care of the wounded. Ahsoka and I will find the Hutt." Anakin informs him. Rex nods and moves off to check the troops. I walk up to their side and place a hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"I'll come with." I state, walking with them into the depths of the monastery. I held Jester's rifle in a ready position as we roamed along. The sound of clattering has Anakin and Ahsoka igniting their sabers towards the commotion, where a single humanoid droid walks towards us.

"Who are you?" Anakin asks swiftly.

"Merely a humble caretaker, my go-" A blaster bolt passing through his circuits cut the droid off, my rifle having been aimed at his head.

"Pretty sure Separatists aren't the type to use caretakers for their prisoners." I state with distaste, before we continue on. With each intersection and doorway we passed, more and more droids took to following behind us, until eventually, Ahsoka couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"Master, you know you're walking us into a trap?" Ahsoka asks him.

"I know." Anakin replies calmly, and a small smile plays across my face. He was testing her, waiting for her to take the initiative. We pass another doorway.

"We just passed two more droids." She informs.

"I know." Anakin repeats himself.

"I don't like this. Can I just take care of them?" She asks in anticipation.

"Oh, well, if you feel so strongly about it, go ahead." He gives her permission, and less than a second after, she ignites her saber and slashes away at the droids. Anakin and I both stop and watch her first destroy the blasters, then properly destroy the droids. "Not bad. You remembered to deal with their weapons first." Anakin says with approval.

"I'm improving your technique." She replies cheerfully. Anakin takes and ignites his lightsaber, but before he could impale the droid behind him, I shoot it down. The two of us glance at eachother, a small smile playing on our lips before we then look to Ahsoka.

"You missed one." We say in unison, much to Ahsoka's chagrin.

"I… did that on purpose." She tries to defend herself. We continue walking down past a few more door ways, before stopping before one.

"Well, if what I have researched is accurate, then the Huttlet is definitely in there. The smell is a dead give-away." I state, activating the door controls to reveal the tiny creature.

"He's a lot younger than I thought he'd be." Anakin admits, while Ahsoka immediately goes and picks up the little slug.

"Oh, he's just a baby. This will make our job a lot easier. He's so cute." Ahsoka gushes over him like a mother hen. I lean closer to Anakin.

"Well. At least she will be a great mother if this is any indication." I whisper in his ear, much to his embarrassment.

"Just wait until you see what he'll grow into." Anakin states, his embarrassment swiftly hidden under a mask. With the Huttlet in hand, we make our way back to the entrance, Rex immediately moving to us at our appearance.

"General, the castle is secure." Rex informs.

"Good. Any sign of Obi-Wan?" Anakin asks.

"No, sir." He answers. Ahsoka then cuts in, concern on her face.

"Master, I think this little guy is sick. He's burning up with a fever." She warns. Anakin places a hand on the Huttlet's forehead, checking himself.

"You're right. We need to get him back to the ship as soon as Obi-Wan arrives. Trooper, get me a backpack!" He orders the nearest soldier, who seemingly grabs one out of thin air and hands it to him. Anakin and Ahsoka then begin to put the Huttlet into the pack, giving them a better way to carry him, though not without difficulty, and arguing between the two. Their arguing, however, is muffled in my ears, as the feeling of eyes watching raises the hairs on the back of my neck. Scanning the surroundings, I notice a faint reflection of light in one of the windows. Grabbing the rifle from my back, I aim where the reflection stood and fire, the sound startling those around at my actions, until a small droid falls from the height of the window.

"I had hoped my death saw the last of creepy fucking surveillance droids." I mutter with distaste, my words not being heard by those nearby. Technically, it's more the fact that said surveillance devices were capable of committing suicide bombings. Or at least in the case of the devices it was suicide anyway. The bloody things could be a nightmare. "That thing was watching us." I state loud enough for the others to hear. Anakin finishes placing the Hutt in the pack and guides Ahsoka to where a small starfighter had suddenly appeared.

"Artoo, contact Obi-Wan." He orders the little droid that sat within the fighter. Within moments, Obi-Wan's holo-image stood before us.

"Anakin, did you locate the Hutt?" Obi-Wan asks immediately.

"We have him, but it looks like the Separatists are behind his abduction." Anakin reports. "This smells like Count Dooku to me."

"I'll bet Dooku is using us to get Jabba to join the Separatists." Obi-Wan guesses.

"Master Kenobi, we have another problem. This Huttlet is very sick." Ahsoka advises, concern evident.

"I'm not sure we can get him back to Tatooine alive, Master. This whole rescue may backfire on us. And I still don't think dealing with the Hutts is a good idea." Anakin adds.

"Anakin, you know they control shipping routes and hyperspace lanes in the Outer Rim. Jabba's cooperation is crucial to the war effort. If you let anything happen to his son, our chances of a treaty with him will disappear." The last part of what Obi-Wan says falls on deaf ears, as just behind his form, a full invasion force begun to land.

"Master? We've got trouble!" Ahsoka warns the obvious.

"Defensive positions!" Rex orders, as he and his men rush in an orderly fashion to prepare for a fight.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan asks, concern hidden in his voice, yet his face only showing askance.

"I'll have to call you back, Master. We're under attack. We could use a little help here if you have the time." Anakin informs with haste.

"I'll get there as soon as I can. Protect the Hutt, Anakin." Obi-Wan's hologram fizzles out as the connection is cut. We rush away from the fighter, Artoo following behind, as a droid fighter vaporises the ship. Anakin and Ahsoka ignite their sabers and immediately work on deflecting the oncoming blaster fire. I was firing without aim, the amount of droids in such a space had my shots hitting them one way or another. The onslaught, however, was pushing us back.

"We've got spiders inbound!" Rex warns and moments later, one of said spiders downed the only AT-TE Walker we had left.

"Get inside!" Anakin orders.

"Fall back! Fall back!" Rex repeats loudly, and we all backed away until behind the door of the monastery, sealing ourselves off from the Separatist army.

"Rex, we'll stay here until General Kenobi arrives with reinforcements." Anakin informs him. Ahsoka simply stares at him over his order. "What?" He asks incredulously.

"Master, do you honestly think we can hold them off? We've got to find a way out of here." Ahsoka argues.

"Our mandate is to protect this Hutt. And that is what we're going to do, Ahsoka." Anakin explains.

"Our mandate was to get this Hutt back to Tatooine alive, and time is running out." She retorts.

"I suppose you have a plan." Anakin bites back.

"Yes, or I think so, Artoo willing." Ahsoka confirms.

"Alright, Snips, I'll trust you on this one. Rex, hold them here as long as you can." Anakin relents with a sigh.

"Will do, sir. You heard the General! Get ready to turn those clankers into scrap metal!" Rex orders, as he and his men take positions by the small outcropping arches along the entrance corridor.

"I'm staying with the men. My help should buy you a bit more time to get out." I begin. "But, if we make it out of this alive, you owe me a favour." I warn, knowing full well that we had a small chance to live through the next battle. Anakin nods before he and Ahsoka take the Huttlet further into the monastery. I unholster Jester's rifle from its 'sheath' on my back, and grasp it in anticipation. "Rex, do we have any droid poppers?" I ask the Captain.

"None. We had the walkers, and that was supposed to be enough." He responds roughly.

"Between you and me, if we survive this, we really need to make sure we have them with us whenever we go to battle." I state in irritation. "They are really helpful against a 'droid' army, not to mention they don't cause any severe damage to buildings."

"Let's just try and survive this first." Rex suggests.Our conversation halts, as the main door begins to creak and hiss before slowly opening. Every single soldier takes aim and fires as soon as the droids were in view, buying every precious seconds we could to give Anakin and Ahsoka a chance to escape. Our efforts are halted, however, as two red blades of energy begin to deflect bolts back, several soldiers going down from their own shots being used against them. From reports I had read, along with descriptions from both Anakin and Obi-Wan lead me to assume that the person wielding the sabers against us was the Sith Assassin Asajj Ventress. I train my aim onto her form, but a wave of energy pushes those still standing against the wall, the impact bringing dark spots into my vision as my grip on the rifle slacks.

"Take care of what's left of the clones. I'll go after Skywalker." The venom within the female voice was enough to make most people back away on instinct, and in the back of my mind, I felt like doing the very same thing, that is, if I was able to move my limbs. Two shots sound out, along with the hiss of a lightsaber deflecting them harmlessly into a wall, followed by the sound of choking. Through my spotted vision, I could see as Ventress held Rex against a wall with an invisible grip.

"Where is Skywalker?" Ventress asks darkly.

"I don't talk to Separatist scum." Rex bites out in between gasps of air. Ventress then lets him go, as he audibly takes a long breath of air as he landed on the floor.

"You will contact Skywalker, now." She orders, a strange hymn in her voice.

"I… will contact Skywalker… now." Rex repeats in an almost robotic voice. My vision completely darkens without warning, and my consciousness fades.

My consciousness returns to the sound of blaster fire. With some pain, I use the wall to help stand myself up, the rifle still in my grip. Stumbling, I attempt to stand on my own without any support, and immediately collapse onto the floor, my breathing fast and raspy. I reach out and grasp one of the supports, using the metal structure to stand back up. The blaster fire halts, and I look past the door to see Rex and a small number of his men surrounded by droids.

"Surrender, Republic dogs." I hear the high pitched vocals of a droid order.

"We've got you outnumbered!" Rex retorts in haste.

"Outnumbered? Wait. One, two, thr-" The droid didn't even get to finish, as they were blasted to scrap by a lone starfighter, of which Obi-Wan leaps out of, landing by Rex. I don't manage to hear what they say, but Obi-Wan rushes past the open doorway and stops at my sight.

"You look like someone based you against a wall." Obi-Wan notes.

"Ventress. Though I'm sure you noticed her with whatever powers you have. The men that neither she nor the droids killed at least had armour to protect them from the impact. I wasn't that lucky." I groan in pain. "Now hurry up and find the witch. Anakin needs as much time we can buy for him to get out of here." I say urging Obi-Wan on. As he moves further in, he steals one more glance at me, before continuing on.

I take my hand away from the support beam, letting my body stand on it's own, even if wobbly. I take a step forward and almost lose my balance before catching myself. I wasn't going to be getting out there without help.

"Rex!" I call out, to which said soldier glances my way. A stray shot glances across his shoulder plate, before he dashes over to me. He wraps his arm around my midriff to support me, while I leave my arm around his shoulder. With a few pained grunts, we limp over to the wreckage of the AT-TE Walker, taking cover by the robust legs. Rex leans me against the vehicle before returning to the fight. My vision darkens once more as I become oblivious to everything around me.

I awaken once more, but in a stark white room, scanners and electrical equipment all around me. I move to sit up, only to stop as the sensors began to blare in alarm. A door opens with a hiss. I turn my head at the noise, and a lone armoured soldier appears in my sight.

"You're awake." The soldier states.

"Painfully so." I respond. "How bad was it?" I then ask.

"Concussion, along with some major bruising along the left side of your body, but nothing worse that that." The soldier informs. "You gave the General a scare with what you were mumbling about while out." Those words cause me to tense.

"I'm going to have to speak with him about it aren't I?" I ask rhetorically, of which the soldier at least noticed and doesn't answer. After a quick check over my vitals and ensuring I was in good enough health, the soldier discharged me. I immediately made my way to the inbuilt firing range, where Anakin was already waiting for me. I sigh in defeat, though still take a rifle and begin taking out my frustrations on the targets. Anakin doesn't speak, only watching as I methodically hit each target that would pop up. Eventually, the inevitable happened, and Anakin spoke.

"Who was Dunn?" He asks. I lower the rifle and unload the energy cell, discharging the last sliver that still remained in the rifle before setting it all down.

"Staff Sergeant William Dunn. Former U.S Marine, formerly the leader of Tombstone. Dunn was Killed in Action during a mission that also took his leg." I explain. "He was also the closest person I had to a father."

"Are you comfortable of telling me what happened?" Anakin asks.

"We were on a mission to gather intelligence on the connections between two military forces after the recent assassination of a government official. After collecting the intel, we made our way to the extraction point, where Hawkins, call-sign: Firebird was to pick us up and take us back to base." I take a breath, Anakin looking thoughtful as I spoke.

"After fighting our way up to the extraction point, our transport was fired upon by enemy aircraft. A few of the missiles hit the building we were on, which was already abandoned and falling apart. Now, it was starting to collapse completely. The damage dealt to our transport had it crash, killing Hawkins and the crew that was within." I shudder at this, and Anakin noticed, but gestured for me to continue.

"The building collapsed while the whole squad was on it. After the fall, I had blacked out. When I came to, one of my squad-mates was digging me out of the rubble. To this day, I don't know how any of us survived the collapse. The other squad-mate was over by Dunn, who's leg had been crushed and was pinned by a large piece of the debris that we couldn't lift. Dunn then called me over, stating he needed my knife." My voice quivers slightly.

"A wolf stuck in a hunter's trap will chew off it's own leg in order to survive. Those were his exact words. Knowing that whether we freed his leg or not, he would never walk on it again, I cut through it, amputating his leg. A local then arrived and after telling him to get away due to the danger, he left the vehicle he had arrived in, fully operational. We contacted HQ, and we were directed to a secondary extraction point. The enemy aircraft, however, returned. It fired, and the driver side door came loose, with the blast nearly knocking me out of the vehicle. The squad-mate by my side handed me a grenade launcher, to which I immediately aimed at the enemy and fired. I was pulled back inside and I closed the door once more, but the wreckage forced us to swerve and avoid it, only to end up going off a cliff and into the ocean. Dunn handed me his gun and stated the quote once more, ordering me to shoot our way out." I finish with a shiver.

"And you did?" Anakin asks.

"I didn't blow myself up." I state dryly, finding whatever humour I could for the situation. Anakin sits in silence by my side for a while, before he speaks again.

"You mentioned someone else by name, but only them. Hawkins." Anakin notes.

"Yeah. I was close to her as well." I admit. "She taught me how to fly."

**A/N - I think that is a good place to leave it. Quite a bit of change with this one, especially here at the end. Anakin will be something of a brother to Vex, as they both lost their family, and in a way, they both lost everything they cared for. **


	5. Malevolence

When Anakin had comm'd Rex and I about the situation with the new Super Weapon made by the Separatists, we immediately left Kamino to regroup with him, not willing to be left out of this fight. We arrived on the Venator within a day of being informed. Rex immediately went to check on his men, while I lingered in the hanger, where Anakin had gathered his pilots in a small meeting.

"While our Capital ships are vulnerable to the enemy attack. I believe a squadron of bombers could manoeuvre along the hull and fire a volley of Proton Torpedoes at the bridge, eliminating General Grievous along with the ship." Anakin explains, his plan already seeming dare-devilish, and many of the pilots were beginning to murmur. He has R2 bring up a holographic pattern to visually show what he planned. "Our bombers will attack at high speed to evade the enemy's ion weapon. We concentrate out fire on the bridge superstructure, here. We destroy Grievous, we can bring this war to a quicker end." His confidence radiating off his form, though to me, this was pure madness. "Pilot's prepare your bombers. Broadside, you're with the kid on this one." He says, gesturing to the trooper call-signed Shadow-3.

"I have a name, Anakin." I retort. I still had the feeling of achievement now that I had a set of armour for myself, and my mood easily showed my pride.

"Skywalker, this is an aggressive plan. Are you sure your pilots can complete this mission?" Another figure asks. With the information I had been given, this person was likely Jedi Master Plo Koon. Ahsoka was standing close to his side, similar to how a child would stick by their parent/s.

"Let's ask them." Anakin states, before turning to a cluster of pilots. "Matchstick, you think our boys can pull it off?" He asks the pilot, call-signed Shadow-2

"Yes, Sir. There hasn't been a mission Shadow Squadron couldn't complete." The pilot assures with confidence.

"That's right. Minimal casualties, maximum effectiveness." Broadside affirms.

"I admire your confidence, guys. But this isn't going to be as easy as you may think. The Separatists have the bridge heavily guarded on all their Capital ships. Take this one into account, along with it's size, it really concerns me." I warn, already analysing the plan alongside whatever intel we had, my fingers sliding across the data-pad I had acquired from thin air.

"Don't worry. We'll destroy that bridge, and Grievous along with it." Anakin assures once more, before walking off to his bomber.

"Master Skywalker seems to inspire great confidence in his men." Plo Koon notes with some humour.

"He does lead by example." Ahsoka agrees with a smile, before jogging to catch up to Anakin.

"It's not his confidence that concerns me, rather the arrogance that it brings with it. I'm sure you can guess just how damn hard it's gonna be to get close enough to fire at that superstructure. We're not invincible." My words laced with concern. It just didn't feel right. This plan has been made in haste, without enough facts. I do understand the reasons for it, considering this ship could cripple the entire Republic Navy, but I don't like how easy the plan was made to seem. With these thoughts on my mind, I walk off to the bomber that I would be sharing with Broadside, who was already in the pilots seat. Though, after a bit of convincing, and a small amount of assurance from Anakin, Broadside allowed me to take his place as the pilot.

"All set Broadside?" I ask through the comms.

"Green light from me." He responds.

"What about you, Arsix?" I ask the astromech, who beeps an affirmative, the actual word appearing on a small console within the cockpit. Anakin's voice crackles through the comms.

"Shadow Squadron, our destination will be the Medical Base, Grievous will be targeting that next." Anakin explains. "Begin take-off sequence." Broadside eases the bomber up, and once both Anakin and Matchstick exit, we follow close behind, with the other bombers launching in order.

"Shadow Squadron, tighten formation. Call in." Anakin orders. After I sound off, the other responses fade out of focus, as an odd feeling passes through me.

"This is Admiral Yularan. You are cleared for Hyperspace jump. Good Hunting." The Admiral informs, his voice bringing me back

"Alright boys. Lets go." Anakin's voice was full of anticipation.

"Broadside, if we succeed, you got a free drink from me." I state, to which Broadside swiftly replied.

"I can already taste it." The jump was a smooth transition, from the blackness of space, to the blue streaks of hyperspace. The next hour was mainly silence, other than Broadside occasionally snoring in his little power nap. When the console began to voice the alert, I returned to real-space, the sight of a nebula looming ahead.

"Nap's over Broadside." I call out, earning a quiet grunt from the gunner, who was once more alert to the surroundings.

"Okay. If we can just manage to navigate through my shortcut, we'll be alright." Anakin says, the way he spoke sending shivers down my spine.

"A nebula can be very unpredictable. I advise caution." Plo Koon warns. As we pass through the edge of the nebula, the scanner immediately become useless, with the only lead being the thrusters of the ship in front. I continue to fly in formation unconsciously, with the deep feeling of foreboding taking my attention, the chatter barely registering in my mind, yet there nonetheless.

"This soup is thick. Can anyone see anything? Matchstick asks.

"Just keep your eyes on my thruster, Shadow 2." Anakin replies, and I could envision the smile adorning his face.

"They'll have to. The scanners are useless." Ahsoka complains.

"This is old-fashioned flying. You have to feel your way through to stay on course." Anakin says.

"Skywalker is right 'Soka." Plo Koon agrees. "Clear your mind, young one, and you will see the path."

"Right now, I can't see anything at all." She retorts, her stress basically visible from another galaxy.

"Uh, glad you guys can 'feel' your way through, but what about those of us without the mystical powers?" I ask rhetorically.

"I always know where I'm going." Broadside states.

"You mean the gunner's seat in a bomber?" I jest.

"Nah, We're gonna blow up that battleship." He corrects.

"A clear path if ever there was one." Plo Koon pipes in.

"So, Skyguy, how did you learn of this shortcut?" Ahsoka asks after a few moments of silence.

"Pilots used to talk about it on Tatooine… They called it the Balmorra Run." He says proudly.

"BALMORRA RUN!?" Plo Koon asks incredulously, while a faint memory from my research tugs at my mind.

"I think I'm picking up a contact." Ahsoka notes, though seeming unsure with the state of the scanners.

"Skywalker listen to me. We need to turn around." Plo Koon calls, his voice no longer calm, but nearly frantic.

"We can't. Not if we're gonna catch Grievous." Anakin responds, his stubbornness showing.

"Another contact. This one's much larger." Ahsoka warns, her voice quivering slightly.

"Skywalker! Balmorra's the nesting ground of the giant Nebray Mantis!" Plo Koon clarifies.

"Another? Another!" Ahsoka says, gasping in fear as a giant creature then appears out of the gas cloud, it's mouth slightly open.

"Take evasive action!" Anakin orders quickly, moving his bomber out of the way, with myself and all the others following suite.

"Those gas-gulpers are huge!" Ahsoka notes in both awe and terror.

"Don't shoot, or they'll panic!" Plo Koon warns.

"They'll panic? I'm in a panic!" Ahsoka snips back. I evade another creature, yet Matchstck was not as lucky, his engine scraping against one of the appendages that dangled from the massive things.

"I'm hit! My stabiliser's out." Matchsticks warns.

"Pull it together Matchstick." Anakin encourages the pilot.

"I'm okay. I got it." He replies, his voice shaken, but as he said, his bomber was levelling back out

"All wings, line up behind me." Anakin orders.

"On it." I reply.

"They will not follow us beyond the nebula." Plo Koon advises, and the nebula begins to visibly thin.

"We're coming out of it." Ahsoka notes in relief.

"We're not far behind Grievous now." Anakin said proudly.

"Considering he isn't even here, I would say that Grievous is not far behind _us._" I correct.

"Shadow 2." Plo Koon begins, noticing the scorch mark on the bomber's engine. "What is the damage to your ship?"

"It's just a scratch, sir." Matchstick replies.

"We must not take any more unnecessary risks. If we lose even a single ship, our mission is that much closer to failure." Plo Koon warns.

"I've got another contact." Broadside states..

"I thought those things wouldn't follow us." Ahsoka said sceptical.

"Not following; coming out of hyperspace. It's a ship. The Malevolence." Broadside clarified. The behemoth of an Ion Pulse Cannon could be seen on either side of the Capital ship. It brought itself around to fire the cannon on the transports. Vulture Droids became visible as they sped towards us. The formation is lost as each pilot doges and weaves through the barrage of blaster fire, the gunners making swift work of any following.

"Steady, come on. Hold it Steady." Anakin's voice called through. "Get those fighters off of us, Ahsoka."

"Your fancy flying is making it difficult." She complains.

"Better than being shot down, Ahsoka." I reply. "You hanging in there, Broadside?"

"Just the usual Tuesday, sir." He replies, and I swear you could see his smile through the helmet.

"Incoming!" Ahsoka called.

"Make towards the edge of the ray NOW!" Anakin orders frantically. "Give it everything you've got!" As everyone raced to beat the Ion charge, I notice as Matchstick's speed drops, and sparks began licking the damaged engine.

"Matchstick, your speed is dropping. What's wrong?" I ask, though I already knew it wasn't good.

"Nothing, sir. Just trying to keep it together." He replies, but his voice gave away the sheer panic he was feeling.

"Don't bullshit me Matchstick. Take the hit from the ray, I'll get a shuttle to pick up those who don't make it." I call, but too late as the left engine burst into flames and the bomber stopped moving, colliding with another that couldn't get out of the way.

"Shadow squadron… check in." Anakin's voice calls solemnly

"We lost Matchstick and Tag… Shadows 6, 7 and 10 were caught in the ray." Ahsoka reports.

"Shadows 6, 7 and 10 will be fine if we finish this quick. We'll get a shuttle to pick them up when we are finished." I assure, knowing an Ion charge would not harm anything organic.

"Stay on course." Anakin resolves, and before long, our formation once more in tact, we begin to strafe across the massive hull of the battleship.

"This flak is heavy." Broadside notes

"Not flak where I come from Broadside! But you have a point!" I respond. Evading the incoming fire as much as I can, the shields taking the brunt of what I could not dodge, the heavily defended bomber earning my respect in combat.

"All deflectors, double front!" Skywalker orders, to which I ignore, and Broadside notices

"Sir, why are the deflectors not changed?" Broadside asks, having temporarily disabled his comms, seeming to put more trust in me than I expected, thus not bringing it up fully.

"Because that would leave us vulnerable on the sides, which is where these cannons are shooting us from. I damn well wish I could override his order, but I can't. I'm sorry." I explain, showing the flaw in Skywalker's order, and the flaw within the command structure. We rejoin the comm frequency once more.

"Master, we need a new plan!" Ahsoka exclaims in concern.

"We can make it Ahsoka, hang in there." He assures her, to which I finally snap.

"Skywalker, do you plan to kill us all? You are the only one who can make it through! Not us! We are not Jedi!" I admonish him. Another crackle through the coms.

"We're too close. Loosen up!" Before static, as a bomber spirals into the hull of the Malevolence.

"If we can do enough damage, the Ion weapon may overload when Grievous tries to fire." Plo Koon points out. A moment passes before Anakin answers.

"Shadow Squadron, new target. We're taking out the starboard Ion Cannon." Anakin relinquishes. With a sigh of relief, and likely the same from every other pilot, we follow his lead as he alters his trajectory keeping the formation. As we squeeze between the hull and disc of the cannon, our target appears.

"Torpedoes away!" Anakin orders, to which we all comply, firing salvo after salvo of proton torpedoes at the structure. As we empty our payload, we make a run towards the medical station. Once everyone was clear, the Ion Cannon pulsed, and exploded on itself, the damage having overloaded the weapons systems.

"Good job Shadow Squadron." I congratulate over the comms. Moments later, Obi-Wan arrives with three Venator Class Capital ships. Anakin sends us to the Venator's, while he makes a quick trip to the medical station. Once docked, Broadside and I both jump out and look over what slight damage was done to the bomber. "Damn these things have some good armour and shielding." I state with awe.

"It's a damn good bomber. That's for sure." Broadside agrees. "Where did you learn to fly like that?"

"I was in the military back home. Part of the mandatory course was a flight simulation. My actions caught the eye of an ace pilot who took me under her wing. Taught me all I knew." I explain. "But, here's the funny thing. While the vehicles we had were not space worthy, they exceeded the speed of Mach 1." With that, I walk off to the bridge and ensure that a shuttle is sent to pick up the pilots caught in the Ion blast. It was the least I could do.

**A/N - Not much to change really, just the wording and detail.**


	6. Campaign of Ryloth

Ryloth had been on the to-do list for the Republic for a while now, and even with our current plans, it was feared we would not succeed. The Republic was stretched thin as is, and Ryloth is heavily guarded. But this kind of impossible mission was where Anakin shined. However, that did not stop my dreams from becoming nightmares of the worst possible scenarios for this mission. I walked down the hanger, watching as pilots were checking the systems and engineers were doing their last minute checks. A lone starfighter stood out amongst the rest, and the pilot was no different against a sea of armoured pilots. I walk up to her with a slight smile at the sight of her. This would be the first time she took command in a battle.

"How are you holding up?" I ask gently.

"I'm scared, yet excited at the same time. The last time I felt this was when I had been chosen to be Anakin's Padawan." Ahsoka replies, giddy all over and barely restraining her hyperactivity. I quickly glance around the hangers and notice something unusual.

"Why aren't the Y-Wing's being prepared?" I wonder aloud, yet Ahsoka took no notice of my question, her focus on her Delta 7 Aethersprite.

"I wish you were joining us up there though." She admits suddenly.

"Unless someone plans on adding armour and shields to the Delta 7, or they suddenly bring out the Y-Wing's, I don't plan to go out there. I may be able to pilot, but the lack of armour and shields on the standard fighter is appalling." I explain. In truth, it was more the fact that none of the ships that were being sent into combat were completely reliable. However, I had been talking to Anakin about getting an old Z-95 Headhunter and upgrading its specs to use in combat myself. But Ahsoka didn't need to know that yet. In fact, we haven't informed anyone about the idea at all. It was something that we planned to keep between us for as long as possible. The alarms began to blare, signalling for all personnel to take their stations. "Be careful, and always take note of what is happening around you." I warn, my tone becoming serious.

"I will." She assures. Finally adhering to the alarms, I make my way to the bridge. The halls were bustling, and the elevators were crammed, but it felt like home. It reminded me of the years spent aboard the U.S.S Valkyrie. Before long, the elevator opened up to the bridge, allowing me to walk to Anakin, with Admiral Yularan by his side.

"All ships, prepare for launch." The Admiral alerts, and the fighter squadrons begin to call in, with Ahsoka's being the loudest in my ears.

"Alright, are you boys ready?" Ahsoka's voice echoes, though I hope it is just my tired mind.

"This is Two Ax. Ready when you are, Skipper." The first pilot under her command calls in, followed by the rest.

"Ready on three, this is Slava, over."

"Ready on four. Kick-back checking in."

"Soup to Blue Leader. Group Two is standing by."

"Taco on five. Waiting for mother bird, over." All fighters were checked in, all prepared for launch.

"Commander, you're all clear." Yularan informs Ahsoka. With the approval of launch, the mass of fighters streaks toward the enemy, with Droid fighters meeting them halfway.

"Clear!"

"I'm on it."

"Nice work!"

"Two new targets closing in!" The incessant chatter of pilots was almost calming, if not for the fact that they were fighting a battle as well as their own survival.

"We've got their fighters occupied. Ax, time for us to make a run for the battleship." Ahsoka orders, but as they begin to move towards their target, my gut clenched in fear.

"Something's coming." My voice says ominously, as I gaze out at the distant stars, unable to tear myself away.

"What do-" Anakin begins to ask, but an officer cuts in.

"Admiral, four more enemy cruisers have joined the blockade!" With the added frigates, even more enemy fighters were launched, but half of them began to head for us.

"Get them out of there!" I shout, but Yularan was already a step ahead of me.

"Commander, we've been caught in a trap!" He exclaims.

"You're overreacting Admiral. I can get us through." She responds stubbornly. "Blue Squadron, stay the course."

"I'm ordering you to return to the ship. We're going to need your help." Yularan presses.

"Ahsoka, it's too risky. Get your pilots out of there" Anakin adds, but Ahsoka does not respond, and continues on her course.

"Ax, are you still there?" Ahsoka asks in concern.

"Got two on my tail. I can't shake 'em." Ax replies.

"I can't help you, Ax, I've got my own problem." Slava responds. Moment's later, Slava's transponder fades away, his life snuffed out in an instant.

"Ahsoka, they are breaking our lines. If you don't return now, you may not have a cruiser to return to!" I argue desperately. The droid fighters were beginning to suicide-ram into the ship.

"Alright… Let's go squad." She relents, her voice sombre. "Pull back to the command ship."

"Why are we retreating?" Ax asks, unsure as to why Ahsoka had changed her mind.

"We're not. We're following orders." Ahsoka clarifies through the comms.

"Intensify deflector shields!" Yularan orders as the enemy fighters begin breaching the hull in several areas.

"There's too many. We can't shoot them all down!" An officer replies in frustration over said fact.

"Fighter squadron, where are you?" Yularan asks in desperation.

"We're almost there." Ahsoka assures, but she was too late, as a lone droid fighter began spiralling towards the bridge.

"It's too late! RUN!" My voice echoes throughout the bridge as everyone begins to increase the distance between themselves and the bridge view-port, moments before the droid fighter impacts in an explosion of light. The collision shakes the bridge ad basically everyone loses their footing. I notice Anakin kneeling by Yularan and I rush to their side.

"Get us out of here…" The Admiral rasps out before losing consciousness.

"Get those fighters on-board and prepare for lightspeed!" Anakin orders, his voice wrought with emotion. I move to help support Yularan, only to notice my hand covered in blood. My blood.

"Anakin." My voice gains his gaze, before a look of sheer terror adorns his face. "Shit. That can't be good." I state at the look on his face, only for my vision to darken until I could see no more.

"Get a medic here now!" Anakin's terrified shout was the last thing I heard before I lost all senses, as I simply began to 'float' within my mind.

"I'm so sorry. You warned me about keeping watch of what was happening around me, but I was blind.I lost my whole squadron, all because I didn't listen to anyone around me, I nearly lost you. I just thought I could succeed on my own." Ahsoka's trembling voice echoes through the void. And for a moment, I could feel her breath along my body, I could see her crying in my mind's eye, before it was gone once again. I think back to all the time I spent by her side, making sure she understood what she was learning about war. The times we would spar when there was the smallest of breaks in between a battle. Of the tales she had about when she was growing up in the Temple, of the fun she had and the trouble she caused.

An incessant, repetitive beeping began to grow louder, until the void dispersed, and the white walls of a med-bay stands around me. As my eyes readjust to the light of the room, I move to sit up, only for a metal hand to halt my movements.

"I advise that you stay still. You are still healing." The monotonous tone of the medical droid warns, before removing his hand.

"How bad was it?" I ask, my throat dry.

"You were impaled by a metal strut. You are lucky to be alive." The droid answers simply. While I know that I should stay where I am, my instincts were screaming that I get up and do something. Finally giving in to the need to move, I sit myself up slowly. I shuffle along the cot until my body was against the wall, and lean my body on it as I move to stand, my legs wobbling under the strain, as though I was a newborn calf.

"_Ohh I feel so weak; legs wobbling like a newborn calf's… like something just drained the life from me"_

I blink as the voice echoes in my mind. I don't remember ever meeting someone with that voice, let alone hearing that sentence before. I push it to the back of my mind, only to notice I was no longer leaning against the wall. I was standing on my own two feet, without aid. I felt as though I had never been injured. The medical droid was on the ground, not responding and seemingly 'dead'. Pushing the possible reasons out of my mind, I step out and into the halls of the ship and make my way to the bridge once more.

"_The Great Dragon. The Beast"_

As the elevator opens up, I walk further down, but before I pass into the door's sensor range, voices from the other side of the door halt my steps.

"Master, are you sure you won't reconsider this?" Ahsoka's voice asks nervously.

"This is the only way. Trust me." Anakin replies gently, before a few moments of silence pass.

"Better fill us in, Commander." Rex voices in advice.

"Alright. General Skywalker will be piloting the Defender to crash into the battleship. And then we need to finish off the remains, while also picking up his escape pod in a shuttle." Ahsoka states bluntly, surprising me. She had never spoke that way before.

"He's doing what now?" Rex asks, but he isn't given a repeat.

"When the Defender collides with their command ship, the droids would be in chaos, unsure as to what they should do with the lack of command. At least momentarily. In that chaos, we'll jump into the system." Ahsoka explains.

"We'll still be outnumbered. How are we supposed to stand up to the combined fire power of the remaining frigates?." The generic voice of an officer asks in doubt. A hand on my shoulder takes my attention. I turn to face the source, and look face to face with Admiral Yularan.

"Do you plan on going in?" He asks gently.

"I'm not sure. From what the medical droid told me, I was impaled. I don't think my presence will be a good addition at the moment." I admit. Yularan nods in understanding, and gestures for me to step out of the view from the door. Once out of sight, Yularan steps into the sensor range and the door opens, revealing himself to those beyond the door.

"The Commander is right." His voice carries through the bridge. "I know this strategy is very bold, but these circumstances call for drastic measures."

"Then, the strategy will work, sir?" The officer asks.

"Well, will it?" Yularan himself asks.

"Yes. It will." Ahsoka replies with confidence. As Yularan begins to dish out orders, Ahsoka departs the bridge.

"_Let's make the end memorable!"_

Again, I hear voices. I move to depart the bridge, but stop myself as I notice a holographic image of Ryloth. The sight of the planet draws me closer, and without conscious thought, I sit at the chair by the hologram. The slowly rotating sphere mesmerising in a way.

"_If we reconfigure the fuel system, we can turn the ship into a bomb big enough to collapse the pass here. The enemy will then only be able to engage us on one front from this ravine. While we provide cover, the Twi'leks will have time to escape with their families over the mountains."_

The hologram had changed, showing a ravine that ran along the plateau before opening into a massive desert plain that extended for kilometres. In the opposite direction, mountains of sand and stone piled into the heavens, creating valleys between each mountain. A sudden embrace snaps me out of the trance, as an orange from curls around me protectively.

"I thought I lost you." Ahsoka whispers, her head buried against my clothes, the result muffling her voice further.

"But you didn't." I assure her, curling my arms around her to return the embrace. We stayed like this for several minutes, until Anakin walked up behind us and cleared his throat. Ahsoka quickly untangled herself from me with embarrassment, the blue stripes on her montrals darkening in response. "Anakin." I greet, only to get a glare in return, his eyes darting between me and Ahsoka. Noticing this I chuckle in amusement. "No need to go all 'parent' mode on us. Especially since you would have done the same thing if you were in Ahsoka's position." My words earn another glare, but one of embarrassment this time.

"Shut up." He retorts quietly.

"Sadly, I might not be able to do that. I think I found something." I state, my features becoming serious. I gesture to the current holo-image. "Mind you, I'm not even sure what it is I found, just that one minute, I was entranced by the image of Ryloth, and next, I was in the chair looking a this." Anakin frowns at my explanation, but does not dispute my words.

"I'll send a few men to check the place out once we free the planet." Anakin says. "But for now, you are staying on the ship. You've given us enough of a scare for the entire crew to take notice."

"I never planned on being impaled." I retort. "But don't expect me to sit around and heal like a good patient. I plan on exploring the ship and lending a hand where I can."

"That's probably the best I can get from you." He smirks, before leaving Ahsoka and I alone once more. Her stripes were still darker than normal, so I did what anyone else in this situation would do. I dragged her back into a warm embrace, much to her chagrin.

"This place is a graveyard." I note, the littered bodies of droid and flesh alike scattered through the ravine. Discarded blasters and rifles lay dormant by the bodies of their previous owners.

"What even happened here?" Ahsoka asks, her voice wavering at the sights.

"I'd say this was their last stand." I answer, before opening a transmission to Anakin.

"Skywalker here."

"Anakin. See if you can find out who was stationed on Ryloth when the Separatists first invaded." I state, but his reply is drowned out as a glint of metal catches my eye. I walk over to where the glare originated. Two bodies lay within the sand, one armoured and one robed, a metallic cylinder lay a few centimetres from the corpse. I reach out to grasp the object as voices speak around me.

"_For the Republic! For the Twi'leks!"_

"_Jedi Master Ima-Gun Di was stationed on Ryloth. His fleet had contacted the Jedi Council in an attempt to obtain assistance. They lost contact with the fleet before they could even give an answer. Master Di was declared dead a few days later, but his body was never found."_

"Until now." I state aloud. In my grasp lay the hilt of a lightsaber, it's components damaged by weather, but repairable. "Anakin, I may need to call in that favour."

**A/N - The ending has me in knots. I couldn't think of a way to end it nicely, yet this part was always going to happen. The chapter mentions the 'times when Vex and Ahsoka would spend time together' and I do plan on expanding that… eventually. But first I need to get through the remainder of the story and edit a few things.**


	7. Intermission 1: Saber Practise

After Ryloth, I had more to do. Now owning a lightsaber, or rather, carrying it's legacy, I needed to know how to use it. In the small breaks we could get, Ahsoka and I would duel together. Trying out new moves, or just to release the stress and tension of the war. It wasn't always an easy thing, however. While I was able to use a normal grip, I was lacking when it came to reverse grip, which in my view, was a necessary skill to master.

"High." Ahsoka's voice urged my body to move. I raise the blade to block, but too slow as her blade strikes against my knuckles, the weapon dropping from my grasp.

"Dammit." I curse. The training mode of sabers would leave marks, but nothing permanent, so I would be fine.

"It's alright. Reverse grip isn't for everyone." Ahsoka tries to reassure me.

"I don't think that's the problem, 'Soka." I begin, placing my saber back on my belt and calling a saber length staff to my hand, taking a reverse grip on it and swinging it around with ease. "I can do fine with a staff, but when I try with a saber, I can't move the same way."

Ahsoka calls a staff to her own hands and immediately strikes high. I raise my own staff and block, this time with success, before she swings around and swipes towards my midriff, where once again I block. She swings to the opposite side, but at the same height, to which I block again, before forcing her staff up and slashing at her torso, stopping just before impacting with her skin.

"Proof in point." I state, returning to a ready position, the staff positioned diagonally behind my back, only to have it yanked out of my grasp and into Anakin's hand. He then places it back on it's rack before taking his saber and igniting it. "I have a bad feeling about this." I take my own saber and ignite it.

He lunges at me, his saber flying in attempt to 'Darth Maul' me. Without thought, I bring my saber over to block, both hands gripping the hilt in an attempt to keep his blade from getting closer.

"Anakin!" Ahsoka calls in alarm, but with a wave of his hand, Anakin pushes her out the door and locks her out. With his focus divided, I leap back from him. The sound of Ahsoka repeatedly bashing on the door has my stomach churning.

"Would have been better if you warned her first, Anakin." I admonish with a grin. He was going to make me learn the hard way. Do or do not. There is no try, mainly because it could kill me. Without a responding, he charges for me again, his saber blurring with speed.

He strikes high, and I back-peddle, the blade barely missing me. Low, and I block, but he disengages before the power of his strike even registers. High again, and I duck, before slashing at his own legs. He blocks my attack with ease, before slashing at my torso, his blade faintly marring my gear before an invisible force pushes me against a wall. He moves to impale me, only for his strike to be pushed to the side, his thrust sending the saber through the wall as I roll away.

With barely any time to react, I spin myself on an axis and strike at Anakin, high, low, high, high, mid, low, mid, low, high. Each strike carrying more momentum than the last. Each blow was erratic, and sloppy, but that is to be expected from someone who has not wielded a saber before. Sticks were nothing of a comparison.

He blocked each strike without any real issue, before pushing be back on the defensive after a particularly slow strike, and after a few blows, he flicks his wrist and disarms me without a care, the door finally unlocking, revealing a teary, concerned Ahsoka, who rushes over to make sure I was alright.

"Not bad. You were able to correct your stances without conscious thought." Anakin admits with a hint of pride.

"You could have killed him!" Ahsoka exclaims in frustration as she fusses over the burn across my torso.

"As helpful as that spar was, I have to agree with Ahsoka on this one. You were trying to kill me, even if you would have stopped before it could get that far." I add with a sigh. "Doesn't mean I am against doing it again on occasion."

"Fine. You two are no fun sometimes." Anakin retorts with a pout, before casually walking out of the room, the door closing behind him. Ahsoka leans back in relief.

"At least you're alright." She sighs gently.

"I've probably had worse." I note with a chuckle, laying an arm over her shoulder. "Though I do believe that will end Saber Practise for today." Both of us stand, clean up the room and head our separate ways.

That was the first step of progress for me. If Anakin hadn't come in and seemingly tried to kill me, I wouldn't have gotten any better. He forced my body to automatically adapt to the situations, changing footwork, the way I balanced, the way I swung my saber. The weight. Before I lost my family, before I joined the military, I was fascinated by sword-fights. The best way to describe it was an elaborate dance, and one that I could perform myself.

I collected large sticks, and staves, and would swing them around in my own 'dance'… But the difference between a stick or staff to that of a lightsaber is weight. Energy has no weight, meaning the blade could not exactly be felt in the same way. In the beginning, yes, it feels weighted, but not for long, as it is more the mind trying to account for something non-existent. The hilt is the only part that can really be felt as heavy, and that can make for awkward movements, especially if one is self-conscious of ensuring to not cut off a limb.

But humans and humanoids are able to adapt fast, and memorise. I knew how to move the saber, but I was thinking too much. I needed to let go and rely on instinct and muscle memory. This is what Anakin forced me to do when he attacked.

**A/N - Not too sure about this one, but it is only for character and world building. **


	8. Sacrifice

When Rex had requested to borrow Denal and Ace, I didn't think too much on it. But when they left, and I received word on what they were doing, I was horrified. When the group returned, I hoped and hoped for at least Ace to return, but he did not. They were both dead. Cad Bane had done the same thing as he had in continuity, killing Denal and the trooper who had been with him. But instead of it just being Denal, it was Ace as well. Losing Denal was hard enough, but losing Ace as well, that sent me into a fury. I rushed to the hanger, and took a V-19 Torrent, and flew out, and set coordinates for Separatist space. I needed to vent my anger, and the only way I could do that, was deal with some droids. My rage was at its peak when I returned to real space, and in front of me was a dreadnaught. I land the Torrent in the main hanger, and the droids swiftly surround me. I don't give them a change to fire their weapons, as a release a burst of pure energy, which disintegrated any droid within a ten meter radius, and threw the others into the walls, hard enough to crush their processors. I make my way through the ship, bending most of the walls through my anger, along with any droids that get close. Eventually, I reach the bridge, which was under the command of a Tactical droid, who is ripped apart by the forces of energy radiating off of my body. I keep my distance from the ship's controls, so as not to ruin what could be used to the advantage of the republic. Using the force, I input the coordinates of the Resolute, and jump the ship to Hyperspace.

I return to real space, and immediately com the Resolute.

"Easy boys, it's just me. I hijacked this dreadnaught, and thought we might be able to put it to good use." I inform the bridge.

"Does it have something to do with Skywalker's last mission?" Yularan asks.

"It's not easy for me to lose two members of Chaos Squad, Admiral. Especially when you have heightened emotions." I explain bitterly.

"I see. I am truly sorry." He replies sadly.

"I appreciate it Admiral. Could you get Torrent Company and the remains of Chaos Squad to meet me on this ship? I plan to do this ceremony a little differently." I say.

"I'll go let them know. And do you mind if I join?" He asks.

"You are welcome to join, Admiral." I say, and cut the connection, before collecting all the droid parts and putting them in a pile at the bridge.

That ceremony was the first to be held on the ship, Sacrifice, but sadly, I did not believe it would be the last.

**A/N – Just a short chapter here. I felt as though I needed Vex to be put in an emotional situation where he had no way of changing things. He would have gone and killed two people as a replacement for Denal and Ace's lives if given the chance, but I could not find anyone who would be an equivalent alternative, yet be unimportant for later on. So, I had to do it this way. Denal will not be replaced, and neither will Ace… at least Chaos Squad wise, but I am thinking of a droid crew for the Sacrifice, yet not those as incompetent as the norm. Still gotta work on it, but we will see what happens later.**


	9. Geonosis

In the bustling Hanger, Anakin and Ahsoka were surprisingly easy to spot as they approached their gunship, where Rex and I stood waiting.

"We all ready to go?" Anakin asks.

"Yes, sir. General Kenobi is already under way." Rex informs the two Jedi.

"He's got a head start. We'll have to catch up." Anakin banters, his trademark smile adorning his face. A detachment of soldiers were already on-board, leaving room for the four of us to join. Once filled, the blast doors close and the transport begins it's journey towards the LZ. Almost immediately, enemy fire ripples through the air, the sea of red almost forming a single wall against us.

"The flak is too heavy." One of the gunship pilots exclaims in warning before taking a hit

"We're down, repeat down! Location five, seven, niner, six." Rex reports into the comlink, but static cuts his transmission off. The jolt of impact as the gunship hit the planet surface was rough, but survivable. Eventually, the transport stopped moving, having fallen to its side. The sound of tearing steel echoed through the confined bay until the light of the Geonosian Sun passed through.

"Come on, get up! We have to keep moving!" Anakin ushers, taking the lead with his saber ignited, Ahsoka by his side. Regaining my own bearings, I climb out of the totalled gunship, rifle in hand, and begin to fire at anything that attacked us, piercing Geonosian flesh and droid metal without discrimination. "Rex! Contact Obi-Wan, we're gonna need some help." Anakin orders, to which Rex swiftly follows.

"I'm beginning to think that the reports on the first battle here were severely underestimated!" I complain, finally taking the lightsaber off my belt and igniting it, deflecting the few bolts I could while my other hand held the rifle and continued to fire.

"Last time they were unprepared for a counter-attack." Anakin retorts, his blade a blur as he defended the men from direct fire. Once everyone had taken cover, Anakin and Ahsoka took their own, with Rex and I by their side. "Rex, is Obi-Wan able to send support or not?"

"I don't think so, sir. Cody says General Kenobi never reached the landing sight. They think his gunship got shot down." Rex replies.

"Great. The one time I actually ask Obi-Wan for help, he needs some himself and is unable to help us." Anakin complains,

"What if something happened to General Kenobi? He could be injured, or-" I cut off Ahsoka's concerns.

"We can't think like that right now. We need to focus on the here and now, or we won't be able to help him." I explain gently.

"Vex is right, Ahsoka. Before we can help others, we have to be able to help ourselves." Anakin agrees before facing Rex. "Get the men mobilised. We need to push forward." With that, the Master and Padawan duo rush into the open once more, their lightsabers creating a defensive shield that the men used as cover. Having deactivated the lightsaber I had, I returned to using a rifle, as that was what I would be most effective with in this situation, not to mention the two Jedi taking the brunt of the attack so that we could move on.

As we continued to push forward, several small bunkers would attempt to flank us on each side, only to be swiftly gunned down before firing a single shot. As we rounded the next junction however, our force was met by a wall with at least 50 gun emplacements adorning it, along with dozens of droids atop the massive structure, aiming down at us.

"Take cover!" I warn the obvious, but not everyone was fast enough. Of the dozen men with us, two were cut down before they could get behind the rocks. I had dived to cover, quite literally mind you, and several troops hunkered down with me. I close my eyes and review the image in my mind of what the fortress looked like before having taken cover, analysing the structure as best I could. When I re-open my eyes, Anakin and Ahsoka were no longer behind cover. I open a transmission to Rex, who, while only a couple dozen meters away, would not be able to hear me over all the blaster fire if I called out to him.

"Rex! Where's Anakin and Ahsoka?" I ask.

"Climbing." Is the short, simple answer he gives. I shake my head in exasperation before taking aim at the droids atop the fortress and begin to shoot them down. Not long after I begin to fire, Anakin and Ahsoka appear in sight and begin slashing away at the droids. I hear Rex yell an order, though not specifically what he said. Though I could guess, considering that I was no longer the only one blasting the droids above. With everyone focusing on them, they soon stood no more, leaving Anakin and Ahsoka alone on the ridge. Well, for a little while anyway. Two droidekas rolled into view and pinned the Jedi in place. Before I could complain out loud, Rex had sneaked up behind the droideka that fired at Ahsoka. Passing through the shield he blasts the head. Both Jedi duck as the now sputtering droid continued to fire, hitting its companion, the heavy blaster bolts unbalancing it. Anakin then deactivates his blade and slides through the shield, before re-igniting and decapitating his adversary.

"They're going to jump, aren't they." I say to no one in particular. I am proved right, as they toss Rex into the air, above them, while the simply dive towards the ground. The fortress proceeds to detonate behind them sending rubble after their falling forms. With a Force assisted landing, for all three of them, along with a little shielding against debris, they emerged relatively unscathed.

"Next time, sir, just tell me to jump." Rex's voice carried through the passage, as the sound of blaster fire no longer muffled voices.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Anakin asks cheerfully, yet rhetorically. Yet all banter aside, we made our way across the rubble, and with the way clear, we began to increase our speed, jogging along until the sight of flaming Geonosians caught Ahsoka's eye.

"Look, what's that?" She asks.

"Looks like a barbecue." I note. Anakin simply opens a transmission through his comlink.

"Master Mundi, do you read me?" He calls.

"We are here, Skywalker." The Jedi affirms. "We took a slight detour that put us out of communications for a bit."

"This has been a day for detours, Master." Anakin agrees, a sigh laced in his voice.

"Indeed. But now the road is clear. But while I can see the landing zone, it does not look good." Mundi warns.

"Can you get me Admiral Yularan?" Anakin asks, with the result being a re-routed transmission to the Resolute, more specifically, the Admiral in charge. "Admiral, we're at the breaking point. You've got to get some fighters down here."

"And if you can't, I will personally contact Broadside and ask him myself." I cut in with warning. It wasn't something I wished to do, but if we didn't get help, this whole campaign would fail, the complete elimination of four Jedi and their troops.

"You are in luck, I just got hold of a single squadron. Broadside's squadron to be exact. They will be there shortly." Yularan assures, much to everyone's relief. With the two Jedi-led units united, the push forward was continued, with no further oppression encountered until reaching the LZ, where gunships and walkers formed a perimeter around the zone. Broadside's Y-Wing squad boomed overhead, earning cheers from the exhausted soldiers at the sight of reinforcements. Anakin, Ahsoka and I rushed over to Obi-Wan, who was leaning against multiple crates of supplies, his injured form bringing concern to us.

"Who beat you up?" I ask in jest.

"You'll never believe me, but the gunship did." Obi-Wan retorts with a wince. Once the bombing runs were over, Anakin had called in the commanding officers to where Obi-Wan was seated in pain.

"With all our forces combined, we should be able to knock out their shield generator." Anakin explains.

"Well, that wont exactly be easy." I note, gesturing to the red dots signifying the enemy gun emplacements. "But, this is also a good time to explain the new regulation Rex, Cody and I have been working on." At this, Rex opens one of the crates that Obi-Wan was leaning against, showing the contents to everyone.

"Droid poppers?" Mundi asks, his curiosity flaring.

"More precisely: EMP grenades. They should be able to knock out their emplacements, at least for long enough that we can bring in the walkers and blow that generator to Hell." I elaborate.

"A small squad could pass through the shield and use these against the enemy." Obi-Wan agrees. "And once the shield is down, Master Mundi can bring in the rest of the men along with the gunships."

"Anakin, you will be leading this assault. You and Ahsoka are the only Jedi uninjured." I add. "Rex and I will accompany you with several of the best men here."

"Alright. You should go and get them selected then." Anakin notes.

"Already done." Rex informs, with Waxer, Boil and several others from each battalion suddenly behind him. "We're ready to go whenever, sir."

"Well, I guess there is no time like the present." Anakin admits, gesturing for the men to follow him, with Ahsoka and I in tow. Each soldier had three EMP grenades with them, bringing a massive force against the mainly robotic enemy. Once everyone had been accounted for, Anakin lead the charge, setting the example with Ahsoka by his side as everyone charged through the shield, meeting the enemy head on. Having the best of the best meant that we had a greater chance of success, and it showed. We reached the rock structure that stood as the base of the generator with only two casualties. With the order, a dozen EMP grenades were launched at the enemy, activating and scrambling all electronic equipment within the small radius.

"It seems to be working." Ahsoka chimes.

"It won't last long, bring up the walkers." Anakin orders, to which three of the walkers passed through the shield and decimated the structure, bringing rubble down on top of the emplacements, destroying them. As we return to the LZ, Ahsoka starts pestering Anakin about his kill count.

"Not now, Ahsoka." Anakin brushes it off.

"Come on. Are you afraid you lost this time?" Ahsoka presses.

"Fine. 55. That's my count." Anakin relents. "And you?"

"60. Looks like I won." Ahsoka beams.

"Wish you counted how many kills the battalion had. You'd have been beaten by a huge amount." I state quietly, though there banter into making it a tie overrode my voice.

"I'll never understand how you can simplify these battles into some kind of game." Obi-Wan admits with a shake of his head.

"Take care of yourselves. I expect to see both of you back here by the time I've destroyed the main factory." Anakin explains.

"We shall do our best." Obi-Wan assures.

"65." Mundi states suddenly.

"I'm sorry?" Anakin asks, confused at what he meant.

"My total. 65. So what do I win?" Mundi asks, a glint of expectation in his eyes. Anakin stumbles for a moment, wondering what to say.

"My everlasting respect, Master Mundi." Anakin replies after regaining his bearings.

"Oh." Master Mundi says, seemingly underwhelmed, though his eyes held some glee within.

"That is a gift Anakin rarely bestows, I assure you." Obi-Wan inputs with a smile. The gunship doors then close as they lift off. Lucky bastards were able to rest, though the rest of us were to continue this battle. Until we win, or die trying.

**A FEW DAYS LATER**

Just to South of where Anakin and Ahsoka were doing a briefing, several gunships land at a designating LZ, with Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan, Barriss Offee stepping out of one and making their way towards Anakin and Ahsoka. Deciding to say hello, I move to their side, making my entrance. Originally, I had been listening to the debriefing, but with Anakin continuously speaking over Ahsoka, I decided to leave before they began arguing.

"They're waiting for you, in the usual manner." I inform them, a sigh on my lips.

"At it again, are they?" Luminara asks, knowing full well what they were like.

"Again, Master?" Barriss asks in confusion.

"Anakin and Ahsoka have a brother/sister bond. They aren't much for regulation, and they often banter and fight. Though they are still extremely effective in battle." I explain. "You get used to it when you are with them most of the time. But I have something I want to try." I then walk ahead and make myself known to the arguing duo. "ATTEN-TION!" I practically scream right behind them, and on reflex, both immediately stand at attention for a few moments, before realising what they just did. The time spent with their troops have rubbed off on them. "Huh, I guess it does work. Looks like I owe Rex a hundred credits." I note, the bet between the two of us making the Captain a little richer. Anakin and Ahsoka then turn to face me with irritation.

"Did you have to do that?" Ahsoka asks, her montral stripes darkening in colour.

"No. But Rex and I were curious as to what would happen. He just earned a few credits this way." I admit with a shrug and a mischievous smile on my face.

"I fear we created a monster some days." Anakin sighs.

"Careful. Fear is the path to the Dark Side." Luminara condescends with a smile.

"Great. You've been turned as well." Anakin smiles. Luminara was usually known to be a strict, no-nonsense person. Though after a few hours of dealing with me after Gunray escaped had her change just to cope with my 'madness.' After introductions between Padawans, the playful atmosphere disappeared within an instant.

"Well, now we are all introduced, shall we go turn these fuckers to dust?" I ask. Barriss raises an eyebrow at my language, as does Luminara, whom, while having met me, had not ever heard me swear. Even though the whole Nute Gunray fiasco had been quite detrimental to everything, it hadn't brought such pain and aggravation to have me begin swearing.with the idea.

"A full frontal assault is risky, but there isn't really any other possibility that I could find." Anakin explains with a sigh.

"There is an alternative." Luminara begins.

"The catacombs, yeah, but I haven't been able to memorise them. It's not my strong point." I interrupt. "From what I could gather, there are around 150 junctions. I can't memorise a path in that chaos."

"Barriss has memorised all 200 junctions. She knows how to get through them." Luminara states simply, and my jaw hangs open.

"Fuck. That's impressive." I say, simply shocked.

"You always were thorough." Anakin says to Luminara.

"How do we keep the Geonosians occupied while someone else is setting the bombs?" Ahsoka asks.

"By doing the original plan, as much as I hate it. Otherwise the catacombs will be well guarded." I answer in irritation.

"Skywalker, 'Recker' and I will create the diversion while Barriss and Ahsoka will plant the bombs within the factory." Luminara explains, earning a pained expression from me at the name she used for me.

"I am beginning to regret telling you my old military name." I sigh, before suddenly stiffening as her words fully registered in my mind. Though, as soon as I saw Ahsoka's expression, I relaxed. I could tell she felt that she needed to do this. And thinking back to the briefing, I could understand why.

"What? Now, hold on-" Anakin begins to voice his dislike of sending his Padawan off alone, only for me to cut him off.

"Anakin. She needs to do this. I wish she could stay with us where we can keep her safe, but we aren't always going to be there for her." I explain, with reluctance plastered on my face. Ahsoka looks to me with gratitude, her eyes promising to stay as safe as possible.

"Fine." Anakin sighs in defeat.

"We'll monitor your progress through the chronometers." Luminara states, holding out her arm, which held said device. Anakin then extends his arm, followed by Barriss, then Ahsoka, then me. "Three, two, one, mark." And with the order, our devices are linked. Before Ahsoka leaves, however, I drag her into an embrace.

"Be careful." I warn. "Keep an eye on your surroundings and stay focused." With these words, I remove my arms and let her go. Once they were out of sight, Luminara places a hand on my shoulder and whispers in my ear.

"Be careful with your emotions." She warns.

"I know. But you must understand, that to love is not a bad thing. It is only when it becomes possessive that things become difficult." I reply quietly. Together, we walk over to Anakin, who had dragged Rex into the briefing.

"We'll have to make a bold move if we want to draw them out of the factory and keep their attention on us and not the Padawans." Luminara states with a frown.

"The best way to do that is to march our troops straight down the middle, parade style. They can't resist that." Anakin explains, a grim smile adorning his face.

"With no cover?" I ask dubiously.

"We have to make it tempting." Anakin replies, though it was obvious he didn't like the plan either, but really, there was nothing else that could bring enough attention. With reluctance, from everyone, we begin to set up the columns that would march toward impending doom. Once prepared, everyone began marching, with Anakin, Luminara and myself up front, lightsaber hilts in hand. By the time we reached the bridge that connected the moated factory, the doors began to lift, revealing the slow approaching droids, with twice as many columns in width compared to our own.

"Well, we definitely have their attention." I note, twirling the hilt in my hand a few times before settling it in a reverse grip.

"Steady, keep marching." Anakin orders gently, but he soon was amazed by the sheer number of droids that poured from the doorway. "That's a lot of droids."

"Well, it is a droid factory." Luminara retorts.

"As long as we can destroy 'em faster than they can make 'em, we'll come out on top." Anakin states.

"I love your simple logic, Skywalker." Luminara smiles, before all of us ignite our sabers.

"Ahsoka and Barriss should have entered the catacombs by now." I note. While we had ignited our blades, we continued to wait until the droids had marched half of the bridge.

"Now we can attack." Anakin's voice barely registered in my mind as I dashed forward, a split second was all it took for my blade to slice through the first droid after receiving the order. Without conscious thought, I then spun towards my next quarry, then the next, and the next, the rhythm similar to when one would shoot a rifle. Breathe in, attack, breathe out, spin, breathe in, attack, breathe out, deflect. In the sparse free time, Ahsoka and I would spar, in both reverse grip and normal grip. While Ahsoka focused on Form 5, I focused on more of a combination of Form 2, 3, 4 and 5. It was a complicated tactic, but is extremely effective once properly mastered.

Time was non-existent within the state of meditation I entered when fighting, meaning that what may have taken hours, felt like nothing. Gotta admit, it can be really useful. But at the same time, it can be hard to leave that state.

"Rex! A little help here!" Anakin calls, his voice barely registering in my mind.

"_RUN!"_

"_Fall back! Fall back!"_

"_Commence Orbital Bombardment."_

The voices drag me out of my stupor, and I swiftly dash away from the droids, moments before artillery fire decimates the enemy force. Anakin and Luminara then walk up to me.

"I was concerned you weren't going to get out of there in time. We were about to run back into the fray and drag you out by force." Anakin admits.

"It was close. If it wasn't for the voices, then I may not even be here." I note solemnly. Before anything else could be said, the factory doors open once again, revealing a new kind of vehicle.

"Looks like the Separatists have a new toy. Rex, pick your targets." Anakin orders. Another round of artillery fire rains down, impacting on the vehicles, only to leave no damage at all.

"Only ray-shielding could shrug off that kind of fire power." I state in awe, but my expression stayed neutral. "The only way to stop those things will be to blow the bridge."

"Then it's a good thing we came prepared. Rex, have the men fall back." Anakin orders through his comlink.

"Sir, are you suggesting we turn tail and run?" He asks in confusion.

"You know I never run away. We need to draw them onto the bridge." Anakin explains. The sound of missiles launching gain our attention. We watch as the Separatist vehicles launch their own artillery, which then decimated the Heavy Cannons, removing our artillery within seconds.

"I was wondering when the Separatists would make an artillery vehicle." I note aloud, before the beeping of our chronometers alerts us of the bombs being armed. "Good, now we just need to deal with these things before the whole factory becomes rubble." I continue to watch as another salvo is launched from the vehicles, this time destroying our walkers.

"You can admire the design once they are in the moat. Go with the men, Luminara and I can deal with the bridge." Anakin orders, to which I swiftly comply, following the men as they retreated. Once we were well and truly clear of the factory, the sound of an explosion drew everyone's attention to the bridge, where every single vehicle fell into the moat. Moments later, Anakin and Luminara joined my side, their eyes searching around.

"They should be back by now." I murmur.

"Master, can you hear me?" Ahsoka's voice asks through Anakin's comlink.

"Ahsoka? Where are you?" Anakin asks frantically.

"We're trapped. I'm sorry, Master, we can't make it out." Ahsoka answers, her voice sounding defeated, yet also determined.

"Can't make it out? Ahsoka what-" Anakin is cut off.

"Fire." And with that final word, the factory detonates, collapsing into the moat and the surrounding area.

"Ahsoka, do you read me?" Anakin asks, but only static answers. The three of us rush to the edge of the moat, where Luminara collapses to her knees. "Master, don't worry." He tries to assure her.

"Be at ease, Skywalker." She replies, her voice becoming distant in my ears as I gaze into the moat. I could feel something calling to me down there, but I couldn't pinpoint it.

"They're alive down there." I state, but I could not hear myself. My vision began to disappear, but instead of darkness, it was being replaced by blinding light.

"_My bell… You silenced it before I could drain my puppets and fully revive."_

"_In the beginning, there were 13 Reapers. Another name being the Apostles of the Apocalypse."_

"_The Author. The Cobra. The Crow. The Devourer. Dread. Grief. The Monarch. The Preacher. The Raven. Ruler. The Shadow. The Vulture. The Warden."_

"_I wrote down the deeds we did for Asmodai, this gaining the name of Author."_

"_Hunt one another, until only one of you remains. The victor will be rewarded, as I shall claim his body for my return."_

"_I never wanted this, Archangel. Mortal enemy or not, you do not deserve to be kept in this prison. Thus, I free you, leaving myself in my own eternal prison."_

"_You are too late, Preacher. Asmodai cannot be resurrected without the Archangel. You have failed."_

"There." I point to where I felt the pulse, only for further pulses to chime through our chronometers, the signal originating from where I pointed.

"I'll get the diggers there now." Rex assures, but my hand stops him.

"No time." I shake my head. Anakin and Luminara immediately begin using the Force to remove the rubble, their efforts revealing the damaged vehicle. Anakin then lifts it with the Force, bringing it up to us. I then open the hatch, revealing both Padawans.

"I knew you'd come looking for me." Ahsoka rasps out. I hoist her form out, and then do the same for Barriss, handing her to Luminara who clings tightly to her Padawan, while Anakin did the same with Ahsoka. My entire body was physically shaking, and I felt slightly numb, but I would no anything to ensure that Ahsoka would continue to live. Well, almost anything anyway.

**A FEW ****MORE ****DAYS LATER**

Anakin, Obi-Wan and Luminara had returned from capturing Poggle. The conversation they held was something to do with brain-worms or something similar, though I did not bother with paying attention to the specifics. After the whole incident where Ahsoka and Barriss had been buried alive in a new Separatist tank, it was decided that they would be best to send some relief medical supplies to Jedi Master Mace Windu, who was fighting droid forces on the planet of Dantooine, along with his men. And after the nightmares I've been having, I had been given permission to go with them. Which was why I currently sat alone in the mess hall. In the middle of the night.

"_I know what you did, Rictofen. I know you found the Kronorium."_

"_The book that holds the events of what happened, was almost like a Grimoire. It contained it's own magic, but instead of holding forms of Destruction like the abilities of every other Reaper, it held forms of creation. It could even create it's own dimension."_

"_The multiverse, must come to an end._

"_Our journey, is the very reason this madness exists. __**We**__ are the ones who fractured this universe."_

"_This is the __**truth**__ the Kronorium showed me. The __**truth**__ Rictofen could no longer face."_

"_Many different names exist for this tome. The most common one is the Kronorium. It is also called the Tome of Knowledge. It was the tome which the Original Bible was held within, though those pages were torn from it, you can still see the marks."_

"_Another name, was The Index, as it held information about almost every even that occurred until the early 20__th__ Century."_

The sound of foot-steps returns me to the current moment. Ahsoka and Barriss made their way to the food trays, grabbing one each and sitting down at a nearby table, their quiet conversation invigorating in the dull silence. The doors then opened, as two soldiers walked in.

"_Control. Corrupt. Jedi. Danger. Eliminate. 66. Kill. Kill. Kill."_

The voices darkened, the snarl within audible, and the intent of those words radiated off the two troopers. I take the saber from my belt, ignite it and hurl it at the troopers. The weapon rotated at a speed seemingly impossible, cleaving through the necks of both soldiers before embedding itself into the bench which held the food trays, both bodies, and detached heads, hitting the floor

"Why would you do that, Vex?" Barriss asks in shock.

"No trooper ever brings their weapons into the mess hall, for one… Secondly, if you were able to hear the words that, for lack of better term, radiated off of their bodies, you would have done the same." I explain, eyeing the heads as worm-like creatures emerge from the noses, and move towards us. Before they could get any closer, the saber is called back to my hand before splitting both worms in half. "Well, I guess I can say that worms don't keep on living after being cut in half."

"What are those?" Ahsoka asks in repulsion. The conversation that the three Jedi had before we left came to the fore-front of my mind.

"I overheard Anakin, Obi-Wan and Luminara speaking about brain worms, and something about Anakin killing the one Obi-Wan wanted to study… by letting it take control of Luminara… something along those lines." I explain. Before I can continue, Trap and another trooper then rush in to see what had happened.

"We heard yelling, what…" Trap trails off as he sees the severed heads. Ahsoka and Barriss ignite their sabers, but I hold a hand up to stop them

"He isn't infected. If he was,he would be trying to kill or infect us. He is doing neither." I assure. They deactivate their sabers, but continue to stay guarded. "Trap. Were any of your men acting weird before we departed?" I ask.

"Scythe." He answers immediately. "He had to be woken up with physical contact, which was unusual, but we thought nothing more of it at the time."

"That makes him the most likely to be patient zero." I mutter. "So all we know, is how they got on-board, and the only known cure is death. I'm not happy about that."

"I don't think anyone would be. But we should make sure we are still in control of the bridge." Trap explains. "Havoc, see if you can find anyone else who isn't infected." **(****There is something odd here… there are two Havoc's in the Clone Wars, this one, and the Arc Trooper, both are two different clones…**** From what I could find at least.**** Still keeping this note here**** due to intrigue****)**

"On it." Havoc swiftly, yet somehow silently, departs the mess hall, leaving the four of us. Ahsoka and Barriss take the lead, while Trap and I walk just behind them. While we don't encounter any controlled soldiers, we do come across a few brain worms that were searching for hosts, with one extremely close encounter when a brain worm was climbing up Trap, ready to take control, but with quick precision, the attempt failed, with a lightsaber ending the worms journey. Once we reach the bridge, the security shields activate, barring entrance to the bridge.

"Well. I guess we should have expected this." I note with irritation. It was probably one of the first things done by the infected.

"At least we now know that they control the bridge." Ahsoka retorts. keep an eye out on the other troopers on the ship. When we reach the bridge, the security shields activate, blocking our entry.

"Next plan would be to reach the communication room and send a transmission that detailed the current issue." Trap explains.

"Well, Anakin is with Poggle, as the Jedi interrogate him, so he would be the first we contact, so that they know to pry for information about them." I begin. "Then, we should contact General Fisto. He is currently stationed at the medical base, and an early warning about what is happening could stop the worms from further infecting people."

"Agreed. But we should also try to stop the ship from continuing it's course. Trap and I can head to the aft thrusters and disable them, while you two get to the comms." Barriss offers.

"While I don't like the idea of splitting up, we need to do everything we can to ensure this ship is quarantined." I reluctantly agree. "But, if you encounter any infected, do not kill them, just run. I don't want any more death to occur."

"Understood." Trap affirms, before he and Barriss disappear from sight. Ahsoka and I don't rush off like the other two, however. Instead, we analyse our surroundings and decide to crawl through the ventilation, using the ducts as our passageway. Once directly above the communication unit, we drop down, immediately calling General Fisto.

"Master Fisto, do you copy?" Ahsoka calls, and in response, a hologram of the Jedi fizzles into existence.

"I read you, Ahsoka.." Kit Fisto's calm voice replies, the hologram showing the ever-present smile on his face.

"General." I greet.

"Recker." Fisto replies, his smile widening as I groan in frustration.

"As much as I wish I could punch you for that, we have a situation." I growl, and Fisto's smile disappears.

"I see. For you to respond in that way, it must be bad." He then gestures for an explanation.

"The ship has been infected by a mind controlling parasite. Only five of us are uncontaminated, but that may not last long." I explain.

"As long as these things are on-board, we dare not dock with the station. However, we may not have a choice in the matter. The parasites control the bridge." Ahsoka adds.

"Nonetheless, it would be wiser to bring the ship in. The only way to stop these parasites is to analyse them." Fisto notes.

"Or, someone scares the living shit out of Poggle so that he reveals any kind of weakness these things have." I offer the alternative. "After you, we plan to contact Anakin, who should be with Poggle right now, in interrogation."

"While that option can stand, my orders stand as well." Fisto replies sternly.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Master Fisto. But we will follow your instructions." Ahsoka assures.

"May the Force be with you." And with that, the connection is cut. We prepare to contact Anakin, only for a call from Rex to interrupt.

"Cargo ship TB-73, this is clone Captain Rex. Please respond." His voice seemed to echo in the room. Ahsoka then connects to his comlink.

"Rex. This is Ahsoka. By am I glad to hear your voice." Ahsoka breathes in relief.

"Likewise, sir. I've got someone here who wants to speak with you." Before either of us could say Skywalker, said persons voice came through.

"Ahsoka, what's going on? Are you okay?" He asks in concern.

"Depends on whether you mean physically or emotionally, Anakin." I pipe in, and explain the situation.

"Both of you, make sure you have a wrist-comm. Keep it on. I'm going to interrogate Poggle." With that, the connection is once again cut, leaving us alone once again, until the door opens, revealing Barriss.

"_Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill."_

"Barriss, you're back." Ahsoka states aloud, moving to close the distance between them, only for my hand to stop her from moving.

"She's infected." I hiss, igniting my saber. "You need to keep moving. Run and hide, wait for Anakin to contact you. I'll delay her as long as I can."

"No. We stay together." Ahsoka argues. Barriss lunges at us, but her form was sloppy, easy for me to parry.

"Ahsoka, trust me, just as I trusted you at the droid factory." I repeat, blocking another weak strike. I glance back, expecting her to still be there, but thankfully, she had run. I turn back to face Infected Barriss, who was still trying to push through the saber lock, using her weight as a means to push harder. Using this against her, I slid out of the lock, unbalancing her, before kicking her away. I then wait as she regains herself, my saber in a relaxed guard. She continues to strike, high, low, neck, low, mid, high, high, low, stab, then repeat. Her movements continued to repeat, until a sudden surge of freezing old air blasted through the vents. The inhuman scream that emitted from her was deafening. With Infected Barriss out of commission, I make my way through the ship, passing by limp bodies scattered throughout the ship.

Eventually, I reach the bridge, where Ahsoka sat in the corner, her whole body shaking uncontrollably. I immediately rush to her side, embracing her and keeping her body close to mine so that she would be a bit warmer. Though the ship continued to freeze, I felt nothing. Never had been able to feel the cold, as though my body was immune. Can't say the same about heat though, and the fact I can't feel the cold, means my body could never cool itself in severe heat. After a while, Ahsoka was shivering a lot less, and she was snuggling as close to me as possible.

"We'll be okay, 'Soka, we'll be okay." I say gently, stroking her montrals. More time passed, and eventually, the ship emerged from hyperspace, before drifting slowly towards the medical station. Out of nowhere, I began to panic, a knot forming in my stomach, nauseating me. I hadn't had a panic attack since losing my family. My emotions began to fluctuate, as everything that happened since Christophsis seemed to register properly. "I love you, 'Soka. I love you so much. You are the world to me." I whisper, my voice door suddenly hisses open, and Kit Fisto walks in, or more specifically, to me.

"Is she alright?" He asks gently.

"Better than when I first came in." I state in between shaky breaths.

"What about you?" He asks.

"Panic attack." I answer simply. "It'll pass. Just take her to rest and heal." Fisto gently takes Ahsoka from me, and carries her out of the ship. Before he could return, my vision darkens. "I guess the cold still affects my body… Even if… I can't… feel… it…" Then nothing. The void had once more taken me.

When I awaken, I find myself laying in a medical cot, the white sheets, and white room unmistakeable. I blink a few times before turning my head to the side, where Ahsoka was in a cot beside me, though already awake, sitting up with Anakin next to her.

"Anakin, what did I miss?" I ask, my voice dry and raspy. He turns and faces me, a look of relief adorning his features.

"Other than worrying me to death, nothing." He answers with a sigh.

"What about Barriss, and the men?" I ask.

"They're all fine. Well, except for the two headless ones." He answers.

"At least they were the only casualties." I sigh in relief.

"You did what you had to do. So did Ahsoka. So did I." Anakin states solemnly. "I need to go to inform the troops on Geonosis about the parasites. I'll come back to get you both once you're cleared for duty." He stands and walks off, leaving Ahsoka and I alone once more. My body begins to relax once more, and the warm embrace of rest begins to take me away.

"I love you too, Vex."

**A/N - Panic attacks are horrid. I don't wish it upon my worst enemy. This chapter was a lot of fun, both in writing and rewriting. It had enough possibility to bring in the whole 'Reaper' past and the origins of Vex's powers. **


	10. Intermission 2: Nightmares

"_It's backing off! Dunn, get everyone in the chopper! Now!" Hawkins frantic voice calls in the comms, as we dash towards the hovering transport. "Get in here now! The building's unstable!"_

_A few meters from entering the transport, a rocket impacts right in front of me, the pressure wave pushing me back. The transport begins to swerve towards me._

"_Shit! Stand back!" Hawkins warns. "I've lost controls!" I immediately crawl backward as fast as possible, the rotors barely missing me, before Hawkins is able to pull up. The enemy chopper returns and fires a salvo at the transport, most of the rockets hitting._

"_It's falling apart!" Pac's voice calls faintly as the building continues to collapse. As it continues to fall, I slide down as the top floor shatters, gravity dragging me down until I grab hold of a ledge. With reflexes faster than anything human, a grab hold of Dunn before he can fall off the side._

"_Shit! I'm hit!" Hawkins cries, the alarms blaring through the comms. I can only watch as the transport plummets down. "I'm going down! I'm going-" The comms crackle as the transport impacts with a piece of the building that jutted outward, the transport tearing in half. Before it can properly register, Dunn and I also begin the fall, the piece I held onto falling with us._

_As consciousness returns, I find myself being dug up by Irish, who helps me to my feet._

"_Pac, any sign of Hawkins or the rest of the crew?" Irish asks._

"_No one survived." Pac answers shakily. Moments later, the wreckage explodes._

"_Hey Recker. Recker, you conscious? Get back in the game, man. Stay with me__."__Irish calls to me, and as I regain myself, I turn and see Dunn._

"_Nice play, Recker. That was some of the finest driving I've ever seen.__ Right there until the end. Hit the light Pac.__"__ The field medic, Pac, hits the roof light, illuminating the inside of the car. Dunn was visibly pinned under the passenger seat and back seats. Irish attempts to free him with no success._

"_Shit. This seat won't budge. You're pinned in, Sergeant." He states in frustration._

"_Irish, the worst thing we can do in a situation like this, is panic." Dunn warns._

"_Don't talk like that, man you scare the crap out of me." Irish retorts, continuing to try and move the seat. "Pac, help me move this seat."_

"_We're still sinking!" Pac grunts, the seat still not moving._

"_We'll get you out of here, Dunn. You hear me?" Irish asks rhetorically._

"_How, man? The doors are stuck shut." Pac questions in desperation. The screen cracks further, the pressure becoming too much, Irish's cursing muffled by the breaking glass._

"_This wasn't how it was supposed to happen, Irish." Dunn begins, before taking his revolver from his holster. "Recker, take my gun. It's yours now." I take the weapon with shaky hands._

"_The fuck you thinking, Dunn? The fuck you thinking?" Irish asks, his voice cracking._

"_For the wolf to survive, it's gotta chew off its own leg." He explains. "Fire!" unconsciously, my hand begins to aim the pistol at the glass._

"_No, don't do it!" Irish tries to stop me, but his words can't stop my hands, which seem to have a mind of their own._

"_Now, Recker! Shoot out the window! That's an order!" With a crack, the bullet tears through the glass, and with the added pressure, it shatters, filling the car with water. Once the pressure is equalised, the three of us open the doors and break for the surface, the care continuing to sink deeper with Dunn's body still trapped inside._

I awake in a fit of sweat, my breathing ragged as I sit up in the med-cot. The buzz of medical equipment a surprisingly soothing sound. After a moment, I feel a soft hand grasping my arm, and I turn to see Ahsoka eyeing me with worry.

"Nightmare?" She asks softly.

"You could say that." I sigh, the beat of my heart loud in my ears as my body goes into fight or flight with anxiety. I take in a few deep shaky breaths before it evens out. I focus on breathing for a few minutes until my body relaxes.

"You were calling out for people." Ahsoka states after a while, her voice quiet and reserved. "Dunn and Hawkins."

"I guessed as much." I admit gently. She still holds onto my arm, as though afraid that as soon as she lets go, I would disappear. "You alright?"

"Not the only one to have a nightmare." She mutters, her montrals darkening in a blush, before she shivers. "It was so cold."

"The ship?" I ask, unsure as to whether she meant her own nightmare or the medical frigate we had been on.

"No. The darkness." She corrects, her voice slurring, before shivering again. Without much thought, I transfer to her cot and lie down with her. She curls up against me, seeking some kind of warmth. "What did you see?" I stiffen at her question, though she doesn't seem to notice, and she near immediately falls asleep, her breathing even and content as she snuggled against me.

"I saw death." I whisper to myself. I did not go back to sleep that night, as the events continued to play out in my mind.

When Anakin came to check on us, he was thoroughly amused at the sight in front of him. Ahsoka had curled up in her sleep to the point she could be a ball, and I had somehow curled around her as a kind of protective barrier.

_You know that you are going to have to speak with Master Plo about this._ Anakin's voice echoes in my mind, his smile audible. I glare at him in return.

_It's on the to-do list already. _I retort after a moment, before I relax some more. _We both had nightmares._ Anakin raises an eyebrow in silent curiosity and concern.

_Did she say anything about it? _He asks.

_She said it was cold. I asked if she meant the medical frigate, but she corrected me by saying 'the darkness'_ I explain slowly.

_Hmm. I doubt she'll remember anything once she wakes up. _Anakin admits with a frown.

_I'm hoping it was just a backlash of my own nightmare. It wasn't exactly pretty. _I add. Before we could continue, Ahsoka begins to stir, slowly uncurling herself as she takes in her surroundings.

"I see you're awake, Snips." Anakin greets with a smirk. Ahsoka merely grumbles before realising that we were both in the same cot, her eyes widening in concern, while her montrals darkened in a blush. Anakin audible chuckles at this.

"You're not helping the situation, Anakin." I scold half-heartedly. Even I have to admit how cute it is when Ahsoka gets all flustered.

"Why are we in the same cot?" She asks quickly, her montrals darkening further.

"I woke you up with my nightmare. And then you mentioned you were cold. It was either I join you in your cot, or you would have joined me in mine." I explain, dragging her close to embrace warmly. "But regardless, I think Anakin wants to kill me for being so close to you." The widening of his grin only further proved the fact. Bloody over-protective parent if I ever saw one. The next saber practise session was not going to be fun.


	11. Lethal Trackdown

Anakin and Windu were injured. An unusual thing to happen for Windu, but not for Anakin. The thing that caught my attention, however, was the fact they were injured by a kid. Boba. The whispers kept calling for me, so I travelled to Coruscant, where I entered the Jedi Temple. I was making my way to the medical rooms where they were recovering, only to meet them in the hallways.

"Why are you two not resting?" I ask.

"The Bounty Hunters took hostages. And they sent us a transmission." Anakin explains.

"That complicates things." I note, before following them to one of the many communication terminals in the Temple. Master Plo Koon was already there, the hologram paused at the beginning for us.

"Mace Windu, you were lucky to escape. Your friends here were not so fortunate." Bounty Hunter Aurra Sing explains. "Until you face Boba, these men will be killed one at a time." She moves over to the first of the three hostages. "What's your name?" She asks, removing the gag, but with no response. "Name!" She orders.

"CT-411." The trooper, who was designated as Ponds, answers roughly.

"Pathetic. Boba, do it." Aurra orders Boba, who had a pistol aimed at Ponds. "Boba!" She repeats, only for Boba, his hand shaky, to lower the gun, unable to kill him. Aurra swiftly draws her own pistol and shoots Ponds.

"That was Ponds." Anakin explains with a sad shake of his head.

"Only two to go, Windu. Come and find us. We'll be waiting." Aurra says, before the hologram dissipates.

"I'll go." Windu relents.

"No. You are still injured. You are not going anywhere. I can get the healers to outrank you if I must." I warn him.

"Vex is right. Not to mention, your presence will only aggravate the boy. Vex, Padawan Tano and I will go." Plo Koon agrees.

**A few hours later.**

The Underworld of Coruscant wasn't exactly somewhere I had wanted to go. But it seems there wasn't really a better option.

"Master Plo, I don't understand. Shouldn't we be heading for the last place we know Boba Fett was spotted?" Ahsoka asks, unsure as to the plan of action.

"Why head to the one place we know he is not?" He asks, showing her the hologram of Boba and Aurra. "The second Bounty Hunter in the hologram is Aurra Sing."

"She is the one we need to be more cautious of." I note. "I looked her up when I could while you got Ahsoka. She was once a Jedi."

"Yes. But I do not think it is only Aurra and Boba. There are likely more with them." Plo adds. He pilots the speeder lower, passing the toll with a gesture of the lightsaber hilt on his belt, allowing us to continue deeper. "The data on Jango Fett suggested he frequented this area. We should be careful." Plo warns.

**After four failed attempts, we move on to the fifth.**

"Well, I hope we have better luck here. This is the fifth scum bucket drinking hole we've been to." Ahsoka complains.

"And four times I've had to scare someone off with a lightsaber. The first time was fun, but it's getting old." I add.

"Yes. And this time, 'Soka, try to be more subtle." Plo agrees.

"Oh, what do you mean?" Ahsoka asks.

"You've adopted many of your master's ways, including lack of subtlety." Plo explains.

"Sorry, Master Plo." Ahsoka apologises.

"Just try to blend in. Listen. You may be surprised what people reveal when they have been drinking." Plo says, as we enter the bar. Music echoes throughout the bar, and the amount of voices is overwhelming. I move over to a quiet area, keeping myself away from the bustle of the bar. I never have like this kind of crowded place. I still remember school and how hard it was to get to anywhere with over 1000 other people going the same way at their own pace. I take a breath and calm myself, letting the whispers take over, their own voices repeating what others were likely saying in the bar.

"This war is killing me. My whole business has gone under." A voice deep, yet not harsh, speaks within the whispers.

"Florrum? A buddy of mine was just murdered on Florrum." A voice passes through the whispers, piquing my interest. Florrum was said to be a home of pirates, who weren't all that different from bounty hunters in their want for profit. The whispers guide me, and as I got closer to where the voice was apparently originating from, I spot Ahsoka, nearby, listening in on two people… likely the ones I had heard through the whispers. Suddenly, she is grabbed as she is lost in thought, the shine of a knife at her neck. Reacting on instinct, I reach for the lightsaber by my side, ignite it and throw it at the one holding Ahsoka at knife point. The saber hits its mark, slicing of the hand holding the knife. **(The angle Vex was watching from was to the side of where they held Ahsoka, allowing him to remove the hand without hurting her.)** Another lightsaber hums to life as Plo Koon makes himself known. The entire bar erupts into the sound of un-holstering blasters, as they aim at the three of us.

"You can't take us all, Jedi." One of the occupants say. Deactivating my saber, I reach into the Force and pry their weapons from their grip, aiming them back at their owners.

"I beg to differ." I grunt, the toll of having my focus in so many different places instantly showing.

"Hey, nobody's shooting up my place today." The barkeep warns, no wanting to have to clean up and also explain to authorities about why Jedi were either killed or had no choice but to kill. I then release my hold on the blasters, each and every one of them audibly hitting the floor.

"Plan B, then. Drinks on the house." I say, throwing a handful of credits into the air, and watched the chaos as all of the occupants rushed to grab the credits, wanting to drink more. Using this distraction, Ahsoka, Plo Koon and I take our leave, returning to the speeder.

"Not very subtle." Plo Koon notes.

"Actually not true." I correct. "Ahsoka did find something."

"I heard about a murder – One that Aurra Sing recently committed. On Florrum." Ahsoka explains.

"Well done, little 'Soka. We're off to Florrum." Plo Koon congratulates her, as the speeder ascended, back to the upper levels, where we would take a ship to our next destination.

**Arriving on Florrum.**

"Hello, hello, and welcome to Florrum." The leader, Hondo, greets us.

"I should assume you are walking us into a trap." Plo Koon muses.

"Yes, you should. They're waiting inside the bar. I have no idea what she has planned for you." Hondo admits truthfully.

"And the reason you are telling us is?" Plo asks, to which I step in.

"Because he is no enemy to the Jedi. Anakin told me of the little adventure you gave them. I am impressed." I state.

"Ah, so you know of Kenobi and Skywalker! How are they?" Hondo asks, eager to know.

"Boba got Anakin injured while hunting Windu, so they are both recovering. But Obi-Wan, I actually don't know where he is stationed at the moment. I'll have to ask when we get back." I answer.

"Ah. Its good to know they are enjoying themselves at least." Hondo replies cheerfully.

"War is never dull… both for good and bad. Thank you, for the heads up, Hondo." I thank the Pirate, who bows in response. The three of us make our way in the door, with Plo advising patience, before we sit over with Aurra and Boba.

"Bad move, Jedi. This will cost you." Aurra hisses.

"I wanted Windu. What are you doing here?" Boba asks.

"You did injure Windu, he is recovering. The medics overruled his choice to come, instead forcing us to replace him." I answer, half truthfully. "But no matter. We are here now, and I want to hear your reason for wanting Windu dead." Aurra swiftly contacts Bossk, ordering him to kill the hostages if she gave the word.

"He killed my father. I want justice for what he did." Boba replies in anger.

"Yes. I did hear of that. But I wish to ask you something in return, Boba. Do you think he would have been killed if the Separatist, whom had contracted him, were holding 2 Jedi and a Senator?" I ask rhetorically. "If you think deep enough into it, the Sith are the ones who orchestrated the murder of your father, not Windu, not the Jedi. They were simply defending themselves and helping their own, just as the Mandalorians would do in certain cases." A surge of warning, and Aurra attempts to stab us with her boot, a knife embedded in the tip. Ahsoka, quick thinking, activates her lightsaber and slashes the antenna attached to Aurra, removing the option of her contacting Bossk again, before holding her at saber point.

"Let her go." Boba orders, having taken his blaster and pointed it at Ahsoka.

"She won't do it, Boba. She's not like you." Aurra assures him.

"She's right. I'm not a murderer." Ahsoka agrees.

"I'm not a murderer! But I want justice!" Boba argues.

"We are justice." Plo Koon notes.

"Don't listen to them." Aurra tries to deceive Boba.

"And don't listen to her. She does not have the honour of a Mandalorian. Only that of a Jedi who left the Order out of spite to her teacher." I bite back, to the stiffening of Aurra. "I do my research."

"Aurra… Is that true?" Boba asks, having not been told as such.

"Don't listen to them, Boba." She repeats.

"I work beside your fathers clones every day. From what I can tell, he was an honourable man, and would be proud that he died fighting. He would have understood the consequences of his actions." I counter. At this point, Aurra moves to activate a device on her wrist. The distant sound of beeping catches my attention. "BOMB!" I warn, as she manually detonates it.

"Boba, hurry." Aurra urges, as she is freed from the clutches of Ahsoka, and makes a run for it. Calling upon the Force, I hold Boba where he stands, stopping his ability to move.

"Aurra, help! Help me!" Boba calls to her. She glances back, before looking to her escape, choosing the latter. "Don't leave me! No!" He calls in despair. Ahsoka makes way to chase, while I make my way over to him, releasing the hold I had on him as Plo places a hand on his shoulder. I kneel down to face him.

"Boba, where are the hostages?" I ask, to no response. "Boba, if you don't tell us, those men will die, innocent men." I urge.

"She left me." He responds solemnly.

"But you live to learn, Boba. If you didn't figure this out now, you would at a different point in life. But we need to know where those men are." I say. He still doesn't respond. "Boba, your father wouldn't let those men die. Do the right thing."

"They are at the coordinates 1579." He relents.

"Thank you, Boba. Plo, I'll take him to Hondo. Give Ahsoka those coordinates." I advise him, leading Boba to Hondo, who is sitting patiently in wait. "Hondo. I want your honest opinion. Would it be worth sending Boba to jail, even if just to learn what the scum of the universe can be like?" I ask him.

"If given support, in secret, maybe. I see his father in him. He would make a good Bounty Hunter." Hondo answers.

"Hmm. I agree. I'll keep an eye on him, teach him a few thing about Mandalorian Culture. I'm not bound by Republic law, so I should be able to make sure he is well looked after. Might even be able to get a few of the guards on my side too." I agree. "Do you understand what we are talking about, Boba?" I then ask.

"You are sending me to prison for the things I have done." He states in sadness and anger.

"No. Not exactly. You will be going to prison, yes, but not as punishment. You need to learn somewhere, and until I can bypass what the Republic will want your sentence would be, prison is the only place you can learn. Either I, or someone I trust, will visit you each day to make sure you are alright. Maybe, if I can get enough support and understanding, I will teach you how to fight like a Mandalorian. And one day, I will take you to Mandalore to learn from the clans themselves." I explain.

"But why send me to prison in the first place? All I wanted to do was have justice for my father's death." Boba asks.

"Because the Republic is corrupt. I would not get away with breaking you out, as much as I do want to. I don't trust the Chancellor either, so this will be kept secret form him. Hondo, do you have anyone inside the prison that you have frequent contact with?" I ask.

"I do. But I will not reveal who that is." Hondo answers.

"That is fine. But get them to keep an eye on Boba, have them report anything unusual to you, and then report it to me. I don't want something bad happening when I could have prevented it." I explain.

"And how, exactly, will I contact you?" He asks.

"I have a ship. One only me and my men use. The channel is one I had created specially for us. Only my men know it. Channel 35-27. Use the code-word Sacrifice for anything urgent." I explain.

"How do you know I will play along with this?" Hondo then asks.

"Because I am giving you all the cards. If absolutely necessary, find a way to break Boba out. If that does happen, take him to Lothal and contact the ship with the code-word Fulcrum." I answer. "And if you don't, well, that is your decision. I will not force you to do it."

"Alright. But you should go back to your friend. He will get suspicious." Hondo warns, and I lead Boba back to Plo Koon.

**Back on Coruscant.**

Windu was waiting for us as we departed the ship. He kneels as Boba is brought to him.

"I see now I've done terrible things, all because I acted on revenge for the death of my father by your hands. I do not completely forgive you, but I understand why things happened the way they did." Boba says, before being lead to the prison. I walk up to Windu, hand him a comlink and walk away.

**Later, when I had returned to the Sacrifice, on the journey back to Kamino. At least to the knowledge of most.**

I take the comlink, activate it, and wait. A few moments later, Mace Windu appears through the connected Holo-Terminal.

"Windu. I am glad you answered. I have something to discuss with you in private." I greet.

"I figured as much. I am in my quarters. You are free to talk." Windu replies.

"It's about Boba. Or, more about his sentence." I begin. "I will have men check on him every morning and night. I did not allow him into the prison for a sentence. It is for him to learn." I explain.

"And why, exactly, do you not want him serving a proper sentence?" Windu asks.

"Because he is a Mandalorian by blood and DNA. He deserves to be out in the galaxy, either bounty hunting or learning of his heritage. He doesn't deserve to be in prison for things he did not truly commit, since it was Aurra's manipulation. But if worse comes to worse, and he is broken out, do not go looking for him." I warn. "It will not end well for those who search. Either killed by my hand, or worse."

"I see. I take it you are using your special case of not being bound by Republic law for this?" He asks.

"Yes. So legally, I cannot be imprisoned unless given evidence of my involvement. Speaking of which, be careful when the link is cut. The comlink is designed to short itself out and destroy any evidence. Take care." I say, cutting the link and tossing the comlink away, allowing it to short itself out without harm to me or anyone else. At least now, I had a plan of attack. The blue streaks of hyperspace dispersed, revealing the desolated planet of Mandalore. "Contact Satine. Advise her that I need to speak in private." I order. Now to ensure Boba has a teacher.

**A/N – Alright. An added chapter for the story. I will leave out the whole Mandalore part of what was going to be in this chapter, just to keep people thinking. Boba will likely have an appearance later on… maybe.**


	12. ARC Troopers

When word of an imminent attack on Kamino was received, Anakin, Obi-Wan and I raced off to help. Ahsoka was busy with other duties, so she was unable to join us. It had been 6 months since the brain worm incident. Ahsoka and I had gotten closer, but we still had difficulties in being placed on the same missions, especially when I am mainly on Kamino, either helping train recruits or training myself. After Ahsoka had commented on my apparent Force sensitivity, I began to train in my use of it. I could do the basics, enhanced perception and reflexes were instinctive, but I could now push, pull, grab and stop with the Force. As the blue streaks of hyperspace passed by, my thoughts were of Ahsoka, the colours reminding me of her eyes, until the blue streaks of hyperspace retreated, revealing the watery planet of Kamino, the storm cells suddenly bringing back memories of home.

Rex had already mentioned in the briefing that the seppies better be carrying a big blaster if they wanted to successfully take Kamino, but I feared of other possibilities. One of the studies I had taken an interest in was tactics. Several possibilities came to mind of how the Separatists could attack, but I kept them at bay for now.

Our arrival on planet was welcome, but not the news we had to bring.

Master Kenobi, Master Skywalker, Vex, welcome to Kamino." Shaak Ti greets us.

"Greetings, generals." The Kaminoan Prime Minister greets us as well.

"I wish our arrival wasn't under such circumstances." Obi-Wan begins, before I speed things along.

"Oh, just get to the point. Grievous may attack Kamino, yadda yadda yadda, we need to be prepared. Now, let's get this shit sorted out before we are caught with our tails between our legs." I say, annoyed with the formalities undertaken in serious situations. Kamino was like a home to me, one way or another, and I did not enjoy the thought of it becoming under siege.

"The Republic blockade is far too strong, they would not dare." The Prime Minister states.

"Everything can be bypassed, if planned well enough." I correct him with a serious expression. "A group of 2,000 can defeat an army of 15,000 if they have a plan and good landscape. Now we need to do the same." I further explain. Shaak Ti leads us to the command center, where a hologram of the fleet is displayed.

"As the Prime Minister said, the Republic fleet is too strong. They would need a backup plan, or a reason to be attacking even though they likely know this." Shaak Ti explains.

"Well, I have a few theories, but most of them still would not give them a proper victory." I note.

"Let's hear them." Obi-Wan says.

"The first theory I have, is that they may send more then one fleet to attack, one brought in on one end, the other brought in on the opposite end… But we would have an advanced warning if that were the case with all the lookout posts we have." I explain.

"So that one is out of the question?" Anakin asks.

"Not entirely. When Rishi Outpost was destroyed, that left a gap in our defences. If anything, they could send in two forces at separate times. This is the most likely case, but the question is now where they are if that is the case." I answer. Alarms begin to blare, as the Separatists arrive above the planet.

"I'm going to join the men up there." Anakin says, departing the command center, leaving us alone. I notice one of the ARC Troopers beginning to walk away, Blitz, if I remembered correctly. I walk over and stop him.

"Where is the most likely place for the droids to attack that has a sniper position?" I ask him.

"West side. I'll get some others to join you shortly." Blitz replies, before moving off. I make my way to the armoury, grabbing myself a DC-15 rifle before heading over to the West side of Tipoca city. As I set up the rifle, Echo and Fives move over to me.

"Was wondering who Blitz was talking about when he said someone would be waiting for us." Fives notes.

"I'm not one for the command center when it comes to defending the closest thing I have to a home. Even if discussing tactics." I comment. The two of them set up their own rifles, as debris alarms begin to sound throughout the city. We can see the pieces of CIS Ships fall through the atmosphere and impact the water. The whispers began again, a warning of impending danger, a little weird considering that was why I was here. A few minutes passed in silence, before an unusual churning of water caught my attention. "There." I point, and moments later, a Trident-Class assault ship leaps onto the platform and begins to deploy its droid payload. Taking aim, the three of us open fire upon the masses of droids. Time seems to blur as we continue to fire upon the seemingly endless waves of droids.

"I brought some ammo." 99 makes himself known, a pack full of supplies that he places on the ground.

"Is there a better spot than this? A better defensive position we can take?" Fives asks, but before 99 could answer, blaster fire erupts behind us. I ignite my lightsaber, and begin deflecting their shots, while Fives and Echo shot back.

"There, grenades." 99 advises, pointing to the bag he had brought, which was stocked with grenades, along with ammo. Fives grabs one and throws it at the droids, where it detonates in a bright explosion, eliminating the droids.

"Move. This place is compromised." I say, as even more droids appear. As Fives, Echo and 99 fall back, they run into a small number of Cadets. They had been separated from the main group.

"Where were they heading?" Echo asks.

"The barracks." One of the cadets answer.

"Oh, I know the best way there." 99 says, a smile on his disfigured face. He leads them off in a hurry, and I remained to hold off the droids. I had been practising a form of energy transmutation. Kamino was powered by the lightning rods, which would conduct the lightning from the frequent storms. The static electricity crackled through the air. This had given me an idea. I had already been struck by lightning once, in a very unusual way that is, but what if I could harness it? This is where I had begun to practise it in secret, during the storms where no one else was ouside. I switched hands, and began deflecting with my left, while running my right hand along the metal railings. Energy could not be destroyed, only transformed, and the metals on Tipoca City, had plenty of energy stored up from storms. Electrical currents rendered inert through the metals compounds, yet ready to be used on a moments notice. I think back to Ahsoka, and let my love for her open the emotional gates, letting it all flood my body, and letting in the electrical current. It wasn't painful, yet it tingled, as though a small jolt from a battery. Arcs of lightning covered my right arm, before I held it out, and a torrent of electricity arced towards the droids, encompassing them, frying their circuits, and in some cases, creating an explosion of droid parts, embedding them in the walls and their nearby allies. They didn't stand a chance. Once the droids were no more, I made my way to the barracks, and then the armoury, where, to my sadness, 99 lay dead, shot in the back. Fives and Echo were crouched down by his body, mourning his passing.

"We lost a true soldier today. He always was one of us." Rex says sadly.

**A/N – Updated. Keeping this chapter short, as there simply wasn't enough for me to do with Vex, other than use lightning for the first successful time.**


	13. Overlords

It was odd. The Republic had recieved a distress signal a few days ago, the signal and code, however, had not been used in over 3500 years. With the concern of the Separatists having sent the signal as a trap, the 501st had been sent to where the signal originated with a small fleet. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and I were heading to the location in a small Jedi shuttle, having been sent after returning from a previous mission.

"Rex? Rex, do you read me? We are at the rendezvous point. Where are you?" Anakin asks, a hologram of the Captain manifesting atop the console.

"Sir, we are at the rendezvous point, but there's no sign of you on our scanners." Rex reports in confusion. As he spoke, a soft voice began to sing, the faint melody soothing, yet also foreboding.

"Oh, come on." Anakin groans in frustration. He had hoped this would be a simple mission so that the four of us could at least take a slight rest from the war.

"That's impossible." Ahsoka states, her face contorting in thought.

"Something's wrong." Obi-Wan notes ominously.

"We-ble-find-y…" The connection fizzles out and dies, with every other electronic system following shortly after, sending us into darkness.

"You know, I am starting to think the Galaxy has a vendetta against us." I note. After every situation the four of us had been through, such a thing was seeming to be more of a reality than a joke. After a few moments, power returns throughout the shuttle, the darkness receding from the light.

"There, see? Nothing to be concerned about at all." Anakin assures, his voice seemingly devoid of concern.

"If that were true, Anakin. We wouldn't be moving towards that." I state, gesturing to the planet sized object standing in front of us, growing closer as the ship drifts toward it. The console beeped for a moment, the warning of engine failure appearing on screen.

"Everyone strap in. We seem to be going for a ride." Anakin warns. At his word, we all ensure that we are secured in our seats, bracing ourselves in anticipation of a crash landing that would normally follow such events.

The object splits in half along the horizontal axis, both parts spinning in tandem as pure light emits from the gap. As the ship continues to move closer and closer, the light continues to spread. Before long, the light fades, with darkness replacing it, my senses fading until I knew no more.

As my senses returned, I open my eyes, blinking away at the blinding light of day. Around me, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka began to stir and awake as well.

"I must have blacked out." Anakin groans, rubbing his forehead gently.

"We all did." I admit, standing from the chair and stretching my limbs, joints cracking in satisfaction.

"Where are we?" Ahsoka asks, still audibly and visibly groggy.

"I don't know. But the atmosphere is breathable." I answer after a quick check of the ship scans. Taking the initiative, I lower the ramp and walk outside, eyeing the surrounding area and taking note of a small cave just beyond our position. The others soon join me outside, each of them taking their own time to admire the place.

"Are you the one?" A feminine voice calls out, her soft voice almost a melody.

"What the…" Anakin wonders aloud, turning around suddenly in an attempt to find the source of the voice.

"What?" Ahsoka questions.

"Did you hear that?" Anakin asks in return, his own question having Ahsoka and Obi-Wan look around, but they had the same answer.

"I didn't hear anything." Obi-Wan answers, with Ahsoka simply shaking her head.

"Are you the one?" The voice asks again, but this time, a feminine figure stood nearby, with all of us turning to face her. A faint tug in my mind notices a familiarity to the figure, only for this thought and feeling to go ignored.

"Hello…" Obi-Wan trails off, his curiosity piqued.

"Who are you?" Anakin asks heatedly, his emotions flaring.

"I am the Daughter. Are you the One?" She answers, only to repeat her question once more.

"Uh, the One what?" Anakin asks in sudden confusion.

"I will take you to him." She states, ignoring the question.

"Him who?" Anakin then asks, yet his question is ignored.

"Did you bring us here?" Obi-Wan asks his own question, yet with the same result of being ignored.

"Only He can help you. There is little time. Follow me." The Daughter continues. "We must have shelter by nightfall." As she begins to walk ahead, Anakin turns to face us.

"And we thought the planet was strange." He murmurs just loud enough for us to hear, before all of us begin to follow. As we walk behind the Daughter, the plant life aged through the seasons, with Anakin and Obi-Wan making a conversation of the fact. As we continue along the surface ravine, a faint tremor has both Anakin and I glancing above, before both of us dive to keep the others out of harms way, with Anakin pushing the Daughter forward, as I forced Ahsoka and Obi-Wan backwards, as rubble crashes down upon the very position we had been standing.

"Thanks." Ahsoka kisses me on the cheek, while Obi-Wan opened a channel to Anakin.

"Anakin, are you there? Are you alright?" He asks in concern.

"I'm fine. But our friend here has RUN OFF!" Anakin yells the last part, with his voice carrying over from beyond the rubble. "Go back to the ship and try sending another distress signal. I'll follow her and try to find a way off this rock." The link is cut, and Obi-Wan is left with irritation and concern about him.

"We need to go. Have faith in Anakin, as he has faith in us." I state gently, leading the journey back. Reaching the clearing, something was visibly off. Not that it was becoming night, but the fact that there was a ship sized space that now stood empty.

"It was here. No question." Ahsoka exclaims in confusion and irritation.

"Did you lose something?" A voice asks. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan ignite their sabers reflexively, while I simply turn to face the figure whom spoke. At the sight of him, my mind clicked in recognition. "You didn't do as you were asked."

"Well, that is the least of my concerns. But I do know where we are now." I admit with a grin. "Not to mention, we can't keep in contact with your sister when the path to her is blocked."

"My sister said to wait!" The Son, one of what I knew to be the three Mortis gods, exclaims in frustration.

"Yes, well, we would like our ship back, if you don't mind." Obi-Wan states, half politely.

"Not, yet." The Son retorts, before looking directly at Obi-Wan. "Is it true he is the Chosen One?" He asks, yet before they could react, he calls their lightsabers to his hand, the weapons deactivating mid-air.

"You are Sith." Ahsoka snarls, earning a dark chuckle in response.

"Yes. And no." He states cryptically.

"Well, I think it would be better taking the mantle Sith than being one of Tython's moons." I note. "But he is correct, Ahsoka. He isn't truly a Sith."

"Someone has done their research." The Son affirms with glee.

"Knowledge is Power. You should know this." I retort, the same grin still adorning my features. At this, the Son laughs, and I mean truly laughs, as his form fades into smoke and disappears.

"I suggest you find shelter. The night's here are quite deadly." His voice echoes as lightning strikes the ground where he once stood. With that, the three of us dash to the nearby cave, narrowly avoiding the lightning strikes that threatened to end us. As we entered the safe zone, Obi-Wan turns and glares at me.

"What were you talking about?" He asks in irritation.

"Which part?" I ask innocently.

"One of Tython's moons? Research? Knowledge is Power?" Obi-Wan questions one after the other, moving closer to me with each one until he stood mere centimetres from me. Unfortunately for him, a simple tap on his forehead had him passed out, his limp form falling onto me.

"When you aren't so worked up, I will actually speak to you, Kenobi." I growl, half carrying, half dragging him over to one of the walls of the cave and positioning him against it, Ahsoka watching everything intently.

"I've never seen him like that." She notes with concern and curiosity.

"It's because of the how concerned he is for Anakin. The fact that the Son asked whether he was The Chosen One hit him hard, considering that only the Jedi know of it." I explain softly. "He is right to be worried, but his emotions are all over the place because of how I reacted to all this."

"You are definitely calm about everything." Ahsoka notes.

"Except that I'm not." I admit. "I'm absolutely terrified." I don't bother to speak any more, knowing that Ahsoka won't push for any answers. She knew I would explain in time. As the night continued to rage on, Ahsoka drifted off to sleep, with Obi-Wan waking moments later. Instead of coming to me and asking the questions once more, he treks further into the cave system, the Force singing to him like a siren would her prey. Alone, there was nothing anyone could do to stop the dark mist from taking me away, darkness taking me away from consciousness.

As consciousness returns, I open my eyes, the surrounding courtyard empty, bar myself. I try to move, but a low growl halts me. I turn around, coming face to face with a massive, white wolf, it's piercing eyes warning me against any attempt of movement. The loud creak of opening doors has my attention returned to the surroundings, where an elderly man guided Anakin into the courtyard.

"You've arrived." The elderly man notes, his voice echoing through the air.

"I suppose I should have seen this coming." I admit with a shrug.

"A simple precaution. I cannot allow the possibility of you interfering in what is about to occur." The man, also known as The Father, explains, as two flying beasts suddenly land on either side of the courtyard. The beast of darkness held Ahsoka in it's grasp, while the beast of light held Obi-Wan.

"You son of a bitch." I snarl.

"I will not play your games!" Anakin yells in retaliation.

"Oh, but I think you will. I have ordered my children to kill your friends. The question is: Which one will you save? Your Master, or your Apprentice?" The Father explains. "You must now release the guilt and free yourself by choosing." Anakin's hands clenched, his anger and pain radiating off him, yet also the love for both Ahsoka and Obi-Wan. The wolf behind me growled once more, yet it did not seem to be one of warning this time… More like one of pain for what is occurring.

"They're too strong for us to break free, Anakin! Save Ahsoka!" Obi-Wan calls to him. Anakin continued to struggle internally.

"Nexus." A deep, growling voice states, the wolf behind me breathing right by my neck, the warm air from his breathing passing through me… Nexus… Wait… Mortis is supposed to be a Force Nexus, meaning that one could immerse themselves deeper than normal.

"Anakin! This planet is a Force Nexus! Use it!" I yell, earning a slight shiver in response from him, but my words had definitely reached him, as the planet began to vibrate. The air around us thickened to the point breathing was barely possible, as pure energy seemed to coil around Anakin, his voice carrying generations of others with him in a booming choir, echoing across the planet with unrestrained power.

"YOU WILL LET THEM GO!" He roars, both beasts shaking in retaliation, attempting to ignore his order. "DOWN! ON YOUR KNEES!" But they could not resist. They released Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, their forms returning to that of the Son and Daughter, bowing down to Anakin and remaining motionless.

"And now you see who you truly are. Only the Chosen One could tame both my children." The Father states.

"I have taken your test. Now fulfil your promise and let us go." Anakin replies in well placed anger. Two of the closest people in his life had been moments away from death, all because this being wanted proof of his power and status. If I were in his position, I would have killed him then and there, consequences be damned.

"Ah, but first you must understand the truth. Now all of you, leave us." The Father orders, with the Son and Daughter immediately following his words, while Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and I defy him. Obi-Wan swiftly spoke to Anakin, though I did not hear what they spoke of, while Ahsoka embraced me tightly, the wolf that had been with me also nuzzling into her, seemingly apologising to her for his inaction. "I said leave us." He orders again.

"No." I defy, turning and facing him. "You put the people both Anakin and I care for in danger for something that could have been proven in a different way that did not endanger the lives of others." I walk up to him, my anger flaring at what had just transpired. "You forced a creature, who does not belong here, to keep me from interfering, taking it from it's home! Do you have any idea what you would have caused if Anakin was unable to channel his power?"

"I know extremely well what could go wrong. You existing here is one such thing!" The Father retorts, his voice booming through the air with anger of his own.

"You think I don't know that? I FUCKING DIED TO COME HERE! THAT IS NOT NORMAL!" I scream at him. "AND IF YOU REALLY DID THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD GO WRONG, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER DONE ALL THIS!" And with that, a blast of energy sends Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and I away from the courtyard and back into the monastery, the wolf being sent with us as well. Before we could stand back up and move to return, the doors were slammed closed. "Mother fucker." I curse.

"You should be careful with your emotions." Obi-Wan notes, his hand rubbing his beard in thought.

"It's not my emotions. This is about Anakin. You know how much he cares for those close to him. If he lost either of you, it would destroy him." I explain through grit teeth, punching the floor in anger at how everything was handled.

"How do you know we would have truly been killed? The Father may have been lying." Obi-Wan retorts.

"Do you even know what they are, Obi-Wan?" I ask him, to which he shakes his head. "They are Force gods. One to embody the Light, one to embody the Dark, and one to embody the Balance." The wolf begins to nuzzle against me, whimpering at my outburst. "Sorry bud." I apologise. The doors open, and Anakin steps through, making his way towards us.

"We're leaving. The ship has been returned to where we left it." He states with irritation. Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and I begin to follow after, with the wolf tagging along.

**A/N - Alright. This one was tough. Probably still gonna be prone to changing the Mortis chapters, but they can be a real pain at times.**


	14. Altar and Ghosts of Mortis

While the ship had been returned, there was damage to the power converter as well as several other pieces, the engines would need to be fired twice to remove any debris within, and the backup oxygen vents needed charging, as the main vents were beyond current repair. Ahsoka and I were doing whatever we could to speed up the process of repairs, but it was still going to take a while. The air shifts, as Anakin wakes from his slumber.

"Nightmare?" I ask gently, replacing one of the main oxygen vents with a freshly charged backup. Anakin sat himself up, rubbing at his eyes.

"Something like that." He responds softly, before standing up. With a resounding click, the backup vent is secured to the duct.

"If you are done napping, I could use a little help here." Ahsoka calls out, her playful voice echoing through the shuttle.

"We're coming." Anakin calls back in assurance, both of us walking into the hallway.

"Leaving so soon?" The Son appears by the open ramp, Ahsoka unconscious in his grasp. "Not without this you won't." His form changes to the beast, Ahsoka now held within his talons as he takes flight.

"Ahsoka!" Anakin and I call out in unison, though knowingly without much of an effect in helping her. Though it does bring Obi-Wan running.

"What's going on?" He asks, having somehow been oblivious to everything that just occurred.

"Dark Side fucker took Ahsoka!" I answer in frustration.

"What are you talking about?" Obi-Wan asks again, not understanding the simple explanation I gave.

"Move." Anakin orders, and knowing better than to argue at this point, Obi-Wan steps to the side as Anakin pushes past, taking the pilot's seat in the cockpit, Obi-Wan taking the seat by his side. As everything comes online, Anakin doesn't waste time on ensuring the ship would survive the flight, his mind focused on his Padawan. The beast was easily caught up to, but impossible to stop. It was toying with us. Each swerve, each turn, each climb, all of it seemed random and desperate. But nothing in this place was random. As the beast disappears into the fog, Anakin pushes the shuttle faster to follow.

"Look out!" Obi-Wan warns, as a massive tower looms in sight, materialising from the thick fog. In fear, and with Anakin's lack of changing course, Obi-Wan yanks the secondary control yoke, tearing the ship away from the imminent collision. The sudden movement jerked the ship hard, and the engines cut out. Anakin did what he could as the shuttle scraped across the rocky landscape before eventually coming to a stop, sparks flying within the cockpit. Anakin was relatively unharmed, but Obi-Wan had a crash course with the panels in front of him. As he raised his head, he turns to Anakin. "I didn't think you saw it."

"It was a giant tower. Of course I saw it." Anakin snaps back, his pain palpable from both the crash and after having his Padawan taken right in front of him. I lower the ramp, allowing the three of us to walk out of the now further damaged ship.

"Any sign of him?" I ask gently.

"No." Anakin responds. "But I think it's obvious where he took her." The giant tower that we had almost hit stood in the distance. Inertia was a bitch.

"Yeah. We need to get moving." I agree, only for Obi-Wan to block our way.

"No. This wasn't a mistake. He brought us here for a reason." Obi-Wan begins. "We must not get involved. Any conflict here could have massive repercussions for the universe at large."

"You can't stop us, Obi-Wan. Because if Anakin had been taken, you would do the same thing." I retort, before storming ahead, ignoring the rest of the argument. Eventually, Anakin catches up with my, walking by my side as we navigate our way to the tower, or, rather temple.

As we climb, a feeling of dread washes over us both, invigorating us to move faster, power flowing through our limbs, pushing us until we reach the top, our breathing even, and our aching muscles seemingly rejuvenating. Ahead of us, Ahsoka sat, her back facing us.

"Something isn't right." I note quietly, as both Anakin and I walk closer to her.

"Ahsoka? Ahsoka, its me." Anakin calls to her, his voice shaky. "You're safe now. Let's go."

"Are you… proud of me, Master?" She asks, her voice sickeningly sweet.

"Anakin." I try to get his attention, as I place a hand on the lightsaber I carry, but he ignores me.

"What? Of course I'm proud of you, Snips. But we need to get out of here." Anakin replies, his confusion about the question evident.

"Anakin!" I call again, this time my voice captures his attention. "That's not our Ahsoka!" I ignite my saber, the azure blade humming in sorrow.

"He's right. Right about everything." She states, turning to face us. "You must join him. He only wants what is best for the universe." She tilts her head almost innocently, but the veins of darkness were visible across her. At this, Anakin steps back, horror and pain upon his face.

"Ahsoka? What's wrong with you?" Anakin asks, his voice braking at her figure.

"Always with the criticism, Master. Never really believing in me, trusting me." She begins to pace, before turning her back to us again. "Well, I don't need you anymore." Her voice a sweet venom to us.

"Ahsoka, don't do this." I warn softly, my voice cracking with emotion.

"He's done something to you Ahsoka, snap out of it . This isn't you." Anakin adds.

"Isn't it?!" She asks with a snarl. "I feel more like myself than I ever have."

"Ahsoka." I try to call to her.

"He asked me to give you a message. He said if you don't join him, he will kill me." She gives a fake giggle.

"We won't let him." I reply.

"Then you will be forced to kill me." She retorts, taking both of her sabers and igniting them. With a twirl, she leaps at us both, aiming at our legs. Anakin swiftly ignites his own saber, blocking the strike aimed for him with ease. As the blade came toward me, I parried, the blades clashing for mere seconds before being directed at another part of me. Each block was stronger than the last, as Ahsoka used her momentum against us. Anakin did his best to simply dodge the strikes, only blocking when absolutely necessary.

"I don't want to fight you, Ahsoka." Anakin states, as he parries her blade. In retaliation to this comment, Ahsoka disengages the lock and kicks him back, pushing me away with a blast of Force energy.

"And now, the student will kill the master." She declares, leaping towards Anakin with immense speed. I reach out with my hand, and will her away from Anakin, giving him the time to retrieve his weapon and reignite it.

"Getting ahead of yourself aren't you, Snips." Anakin notes, his irritation beginning to grow.

"Don't call me that! I hate it when you call me that!" She snarls. With a swift execution, Anakin disarms her momentarily, and I push her back with a telekinetic effort once more. She easily catches herself, and calls her sabers back, as Obi-Wan steps to Anakin's side.

"Two Jedi. Finally, a challenge." She notes, leaping at them and slashing with vigour.

"Am I just not that good, 'Soka?" I taunt, using a burst of speed to send my own flurry of attacks, unbalancing her before she can adapt to my style.

"Not when I know your every move." She smirks in a dark glee. As she moves to predict my next strike, I reverse my grip and bat her secondary saber away with a twist of the weapon. Anakin calls the fallen saber to his hand and secures it to his belt.

"That, is where you are wrong." I admit, leaping away as Anakin begins to attack, the force of his blows pushing her further back. "Any suggestions on how to fix what has been done to her?"

"Yes." Obi-Wan admits, taking out an old, bloodstained dagger. "We cut her free."

"_Make use of the unholy ritual weapon, for unlike any other, it's power shall break the bonds of immortality."_

"_The Author. The Cobra. The Crow. The Devourer. Dread. Grief. The Monarch. The Preacher. The Raven. Ruler. The Shadow. The Vulture. The Warden."_

"_Apostles of the Apocalypse."_

"_The Reapers of Asmodai."_

"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT? GIVE IT TO ME!" The Son's voice echoes in tandem with Ahsoka. She leaps at Obi-Wan, hell bent on taking the dagger, her movements becoming faster and faster, yet Obi-Wan blocked each strike with practised skill.

"Stop this." The Father's voice echoes through the sky, as both the Son and Daughter are launched out the tower window, every one of us diving away from the falling glass. The Father then lands by their stirring forms, with the Son being the first to recover.

"So glad you could make it to our little party, Father." He mocks.

"You will stop this." He tries to order his child.

"You are too weak for me, old man. You mean nothing to me anymore." The Son says, as he begins to send a constant barrage of red lightning at his father, swiftly breaking through his weak shield. Anakin begins to walk towards the Son, when Obi-Wan calls to him.

"Anakin, now!" He tosses the dagger toward Anakin, only for Ahsoka to leap up and catch it herself, before dashing over to the Son, a victorious smirk on her lips.

"Ah. Everything has transpired exactly as I planned." The Son explains.

"You showed them the Altar?" The Father asks weakly. Obi-Wan helps the Daughter to her feet as she looks at him with pain.

"I am sorry, Father. I didn't know how else to stop him." She apologises with a bite to her words.

"Give it to me, child." The Son orders gently, yet firmly, holding out his hand. She glances back at us momentarily.

"Ahsoka, no." Anakin warns with sorrow. But his words seem to have no affect, as Ahsoka hands over the dagger.

"Thank you. Your usefulness has come to an end." The Son says, touching Ahsoka's forehead with his index finger. And like a puppet having it's strings removed, she collapses lifelessly onto the ground.

"NO!" I cry, running toward her body, only for the Son to push me away.

"The Jedi have brought me the Dagger, and you have brought yourself. Now, Father, you will die." The Son states, raising the Dagger and sending it down upon his Father, only to impale the Daughter instead.

"Why?!" The Son screams, launching into the air and leaving with his pain echoing through the very foundation of the tower. With him gone, I rush to Ahsoka, gently cradling her body as Anakin moves by my side, his hand gently grasping Ahsoka's.

"My Daughter. What have I done?" The Father asks himself as he removes the dagger.

.

"Do not hate him, Father. It is his nature." The Daughter states quietly.

"I thought that by bringing you here… But instead I have destroyed the very thing I tried to protect." The Father weeps.

"Can you help her?" I ask gently.

"There is no light. No hope. I cannot undo what has been done. I am sorry." He denies.

"There is always hope!" Anakin argues. "You must help her!" At this, the Daughter raises a hand to her Father's cheek, pointing at Ahsoka with intent. With reluctance, he gestures for Anakin to kneel between the two.

"Then let my Daughter's last act." The Father begins, as Anakin places his flesh hand on the Daughter's forehead. "Be to breathe life into your friend." And then he places his artificial hand on Ahsoka's forehead, as his own eyes glow pure white, as Life and Force Essence is transferred between the bodies. As the light dies down, the Daughter's body goes slack, her figure no longer glowing as her life fades completely. Anakin then slumps, his strength almost gone.

In my arms, Ahsoka begins to cough, bolting upright in my lap as oxygen enters her lungs once more, as her heart begin to pump blood throughout her body again. Once her fit ends, I immediately bring her into a tight embrace, tears falling from my eyes in bot relief and heartbreak.

"Hey, 'Soka." I greet her softly, kissing her forehead gently, much to Obi-Wan's confusion.

"Uh, what's going on?" She asks tiredly, her mind still hazed at the fact she had been dead, and clearly not remembering what had just happened. Obi-Wan just hands her lightsabers to her, while Anakin also gives her a hug.

"We'll explain it later. But it's good to have you back." Anakin states, his voice shaky.

"As the Balance of this world crumbles, so shall war escalate in your galaxy." The Father explains, kneeling down and gently holding his Daughter's lifeless hand. "As my Son has descended into the Dark side, so have the Sith gained strength."

"We will stop your Son." Anakin assures.

"No. You must go now." The Father denies. "He needs your ship to leave the planet. You must leave before he can take it."

"What about you?" I ask him gently.

"I shall mourn all that I have done. And all that is yet to be." The Father replies. With heavy hearts, we leave the Father to care for his late Daughter, backtracking to where the Ship had crash landed. As we reach the damaged shuttle, my vision darkens, and I know no more.

"_Sniper!"_

"_Boss?"_

"_Can you hit the schoolhouse?"_

"_Yeah. Bren in a single shot. I need the Bren!"_

"_The man in the white suit. Do you have his heart?"_

"_Yeah, Boss."_

"_Take it."_

"_Think he was important?"_

"_If he was, it won't take long to find out."_

"_You're hanging us out to dry! We need reinforcements!"_

"_There are larger things at play than you can possibly imagine."_

"_I don't give a damn about the larger 'tings."_

"_Tell me, what I'm supposed to do, _General_."_

"_Fight each other, until only one of you remains. Leave the Author alive, as he shall record each death when it happens. Make use of the Unholy Ritual Weapon, for unlike any other, it's power shall break the bonds of immortality. The strongest of you will be rewarded, as I shall claim their body for my return."_

"General? General Skywalker, come in!" Rex's voice brings my mind back with a jolt. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and I were back on the shuttle, in the vastness of space.

"We read you, Rex." Anakin replies, his voice startling me out of thought. The last thing I remember was seeing the ship after the death of the Daughter. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, sir. Standing by." Rex answers. "We were worried. You were off the scopes there for a moment."

"A moment? We've been gone for more than a moment, Rex." Anakin retorts incredulously.

"Sir, I don't understand. You'll need to explain." Rex notes with confusion. At this, I decide to speak up.

"Rex, until we get there, just file it under the Jedi Mumbo Jumbo section. I'll fill in the details later. Just make sure you leave a few years worth of space, as it may be needed to explain it all."

"Oh great. Echo, you get that?" Rex calls over his shoulder, before a muffled reply answers him. "Good, you can go work it all out when Recker gets on board."

"Rex… who told you about that name?" I ask with suspicion.

"Uh, General Ti, sir. She mentioned that it was your old military name. And I'll be honest, it feels right to call you that compared to Vex." Rex answers sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Fair enough. Besides, I think I need to speak with General Ti again some time soon." I state with a smile that has Rex shivering.

"Just don't involve me, sir." He warns.

"Didn't plan on it. Fives and Echo can help instead. It will be a reward for helping file the report." I assure.

"And on that note, you're on your own until you dock." Rex cuts the transmission abruptly. Three sets of eyes bore through me, curiosity and amusement shining brightly.

"Fuck."

**A/N - There was never a good way to fit Vex in the Ghosts of Mortis part. That was instead a full Anakin story, and as much as Vex would want to maim and kill the Son, Anakin had just as much reason after everything he was put through. Like Overlords, this chapter is still not sitting right with me, and will be edited continuously over time, but this will be it for now.**


	15. The Citadel, Part 1

As Anakin, Obi-Wan, Plo Koon and I walk out of the briefing room, Ahsoka swiftly jogs up to us, excitement written over her face.

"Master. I'm sorry I'm late. I just heard about the briefing. We're going to rescue Master Piell, right?" She asks for confirmation, her words earning Anakin glares of amusement.

"You two have much to discuss." Plo Koon notes, as he and Obi-Wan continue walking off.

"Too bad. They get to miss the show." I grin turning to Anakin. "I've already ensured she is coming on the mission, whether you like it or not."

"You what?" He asks in shock and anger.

"You can't stop her, Anakin. What happened on Mortis shouldn't stop you from allowing her on missions that she may very well be needed for." I scold him gently. "You can only prepare her."

"The Citadel was built to contain Dark Jedi. I don't want to risk her on this mission." Anakin argues back.

"Master, you're just being protective again." Ahsoka complains with a roll of her eyes. "How can you expect me to learn and improve if you don't share the risk?"

"This isn't a mission for learning!" Anakin snaps. "You either do or die. And I can't lose you again."

"I have that sorted already, Anakin." I assure. "I love her, you know this. I won't be leaving her side."

"You can't handle everything, Vex." Anakin retorts, but relents as he leads us to the shuttle, where several troops, along with Rex, Cody, Fives and Echo meet up with us.

"We're trusting those droids to get us into the Citadel?" Fives asks sceptically. It had been a while since I had seen him and Echo. It was hard to keep in contact once they went off for ARC Training, and even after it.

"Anakin reprogrammed them. We'll be fine." Obi-Wan assures. Every republic soldier knew how good Anakin was with droids, so this fact helped relieve the more concerned ones. Together, all of us continued on, where a large chamber stood, awaiting our arrival with chilly air.

"I've never been Carbon-Frozen before, General." Rex admits.

"This will be a first for all of us." Anakin notes, as Obi-Wan walks to his side.

"This is your idea? Carbon-freezing?" He asks incredulously.

"Hey, you wanted to shield us from the life-form scanners. Besides, the Hutts transported slaves the same way if they had to pass through core worlds." Anakin explains.

"Are, uh, we sure this thing is safe?" Fives asks with a shudder. "I don't want to end up a wall decoration."

"Try to relax. We'll be unfrozen as soon as we arrive." I attempt to assure, but honestly, even I had my concerns. Not like I planned on stating them though. As the platform lowered, the sudden blast of freezing air stung for a split second, before the casing of Carbonite shielded me.

_As another spark of life faded, another page of writing appeared. Dread was dead. The fifth one to die from this horrid game. At least, the Archangel was free. Though I fear Asmodai already knows. But the question is: What does he plan to do now?_

"_What. Are. You?"_

"_Who. Are. You?"_

"_From. Before. Everything. Happened."_

"_WAKE UP!"_

The voices disappear as the Carbonite thaws, freeing me from what some would ensure is an eternal prison. I stumble forward slightly, off balance after having been still for so long. The heat from the planet seeps into my body, a faint memory of home emerging from the familiar temperature. It wasn't going to last, however, as the planet was covered in lava, the rivers flowing freely.

"I must have carbon-sickness, because I could swear that's Ahsoka." Obi-Wan notes with confusion.

"I'm surprised you didn't notice her with us in the freezing-chamber. But that would mean you don't have carbon-sickness, just poor awareness." I retort.

"Recker had her assigned to the mission." Cody explains to his General.

"I need to find a way to erase that name from everyone's memory." I mutter with a groan. Once everyone collected their gear, we followed the ledge until it connected to a cliff face that held an entrance to the Citadel. Anakin scanned the cliff through his macro-binoculars.

"You were right. The wind conditions are too strong for jetpacks." He reports solemnly.

"Yes. We'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. Ascension cables and a steel grip." Obi-Wan affirms.

"Not gonna work." I deny swiftly.

"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asks, his voice concerned.

"Electro-mines." Anakin explains, noticing the same thing I did.

"We cant get a hook that high, and if we hit one of those mines, it's over. They'll know we're here." I add.

"I suppose that means we have to free-climb it." Obi-Wan sighs.

"Let's get this over with." I groan. While I don't have a fear of heights, I do have a fear of falling to my death. Obi-Wan took point, followed by Anakin, then Ahsoka, then me, then the troops. Every millimetre we climbed, the wind would do everything it could to send us flying to our deaths. Every now and then, Anakin would stop and check on Ahsoka and the men, ensuring that they were going alright.

"The entry point is just a few more meters!" Obi-Wan calls, before picking up in speed to reach the platform and check it over. After a few moments, he ducks down, facing us. "They locked the door! It's ray-shielded!"

"Ray-Shielded? That wasn't part of the plan." Anakin notes.

"It's in the plan now. We were going in blind anyway." I retort. "Ahsoka, there's a ventilation duct up there. Think you can get through?"

"Not a problem." She assures, making her way up and removing the duct, slipping through with ease and deactivating the ray-shields. Fives and I begin helping the others to get up. As the last trooper reaches up to Fives, the rock he used as a foothold detached.

"Charger!" Fives calls desperately, attempting to grab his arm, but with no success, as the trooper tumbles down the cliff, impacting with one of the electro-mines along the way, the electric current taking his life instantly.

"Well, they know we're here." Obi-Wan states. Without hesitation, we continue our mission, walking through the halls of the prison, until coming face to face with several surveillance cameras.

"Take out their surveillance." Cody orders, his words resulting in the immediate elimination of all cameras within mere seconds. A distant buzzing began to increase in volume, until arcs of electricity became visible as they spanned the width and height of the hallway, moving towards us with intent.

"The walls are electrified!" Obi-Wan warns, spurring us all to run back to the last intersection and take cover.

"Go! Go! Go!" Cody urges, as another trooper dives around the corner. One was too slow, however, and just as he reaches the intersection, the wall of electricity hits him full force, the lifeless body launching a few meters. "Longshot!"

"We must keep moving." Obi-Wan pushes, his voice harsh and cold. Not the normal kind of reaction that he would give.

As we reach the cell that Master Piell was being tortured in, no one wastes any time. A blade straight through the door takes out the first droid. Once it opens completely, blaster fire eliminates the rest, with Anakin dismantling the torture droid himself. Obi-Wan slashes at the restraints, freeing the Jedi from his prison. "Master Piell, are you alright?"

"Obi-Van, vhat took you guys so long?" He retorts, his thick accent rolling across with his voice.

"At least your sense of humour is still intact." Anakin notes with a faint smirk.

"It takes more then they got to break me, Skyvalker" Piell assures.

"So you have the Nexus Route coordinates?" Obi-Wan asks swiftly.

"I got them alright. Half of them anyvay. My Captain's got the other half. I erased the computers vhen ve vere boarded and had both of us memorise part of the intel. That vay, if somehow I cracked, the information vould be useless to them vithout the other half." He explains.

"Issue is that if you cracked about that, it may be a possibility you crack about your Captain having the other half." I admit, earning a look of amusement of the rescued Jedi.

"Where's your Captain?" Obi-Wan questions. **(Bloody oath I have him asking a lot)**

"Being held vith the other officers, I assume." Piell answers with a shrug.

"Hate to interrupt, but we are about to have company." I warn, the sound of incoming droids echoing through my adrenaline enhanced hearing. As we depart the cell, the droids arrive and block our way forward. As we make to raise our weapons, a magnetic field snatches our equipment from our hands, or in Anakin's case, dragging him to the roof with everything else.

Obi-Wan attempts to push the droids away with the Force, but his attempt is unsuccessful as the droids had magnetised their feet. Anakin's pained scream garners our attention, as an electrical charge courses through his body, before he pushes through and destroys the magnetic field, returning our weapons and equipment from their slight vacation, with Anakin landing gracefully.

"Are you alright Sir?" Rex asks in concern.

"Yeah, let's get out of here." Anakin assures, taking the lead as we navigate through the prison, stopping at an unguarded cell, opening it to reveal our target.

"General." The Captain greets, his 'royalty' voice a pain to my mind.

"Captain Tarkin." Piell retorts simply.

"I never thought I'd see you again." Tarkin admits bluntly. "And you brought friends."

"Tarkin, this is Obi-Van Kenobi and Anakin Skyvalker." The two Jedi are quickly introduced.

"Well, now that you've found us, how do you expect to get us out? If they've locked this fortress down, there's at least ten squads on their way. It's going to be impossible to escape." Tarkin complains.

"Well, we escape. How else?" I ask in sarcasm, yet it is seemingly ignored.

"What if we split up? My team will create a diversion, while Anakin leads the others away. That way, if one of us is captured, the enemy will only have part of the information." Obi-Wan offers.

"It would be better if we stick together, General Kenobi. That way we would have a better chance at protecting the information." Tarkin denies the first idea, giving his own.

"Does anyone plan on letting me give an idea?" I ask, but am ignored once more.

"Obi-Van has a point. I'll go vith him. You go vith Skyvalker." Piell orders Tarkin, the decision now seeming to be final. At this, I walk to Ahsoka's side, my mind whirring.

"They don't seem intent on listening to reason, do they?" I ask her with a whisper.

"It definitely seems worse than usual." She agrees with a frown. "I haven't seen them like this on missions more important and dangerous than this, which makes me worried."

"You aren't the only ones." Echo suddenly whispers to us, startling us slightly. "It's like they are entirely different people." His words begin making more sense, and for a moment, I can see why they are like this.

"It's because of Mortis." I sigh. "It makes sense as well." Ahsoka sighs herself, realising the point. Before she could say anything, Obi-Wan, Piell and their group leave the cell, leaving the rest of us as Anakin ignites his saber and begins cutting through the wall. Once the cut was done, a Force Push opened the passage beyond.

"Everybody in." Anakin orders, waiting until the rest of us went through before entering and replacing the section he had cut out. Being the only other Jedi, Ahsoka takes the lead, scouting out ahead to ensure our path is clear.

"This is one of the original Fortress tunnels." Echo notes with awe.

"One of the very few advantages of old archive data." I admit with a smirk.

"The tunnel is clear." Ahsoka calls to us in assurance.

"Looks like Obi-Wan's distraction worked." Anakin smirks. "Things seem to be going as planned."

"It's when things do not go to plan that concerns me. What then?" Tarkin asks with criticism.

"It's when things don't go as planned that we Jedi are at our best. Trust me." Anakin retorts.

"I reserve my trust for those who take action, General Skywalker." Tarkin snaps back.

"Then let me remind you, that we saved your sorry ass from prison, Tarkin. Now shut up before I throw you in lava, Nexus Coordinates be damned." I growl, my temper snapping. He acted like a rich kid who got everything he wanted, and looked down upon others just because they weren't him. This was going to be a long mission.

**A/N - Not much will change with the Citadel chapters, but they are hopefully going to be an improvement.**


	16. The Citadel, Part 2

"Artoo, are you and your battle droids ready to go?" Anakin asks, a comlink channel open between his astromech and himself. The shrill, familiar beep of an affirmative reply was surprisingly calming in the backdrop of this chaotic mission. "Alright. Get the ship fired up. We'll meet you at the pipeline exit after you've picked up Obi-Wan, assuming he's still on schedule."

A war-torn shipyard. Red-blades. Mechanical breathing. The clashing of sabers. The howl of a wolf. The detonation of a mountain. The sorrow. The pain. The anger. The death.

"_Vex? Vex!"_

"_General!"_

Ahsoka's hand upon my shoulder drags me away from the vision, my body shaking uncontrollably as we continued walking with the group. I'd never had a vision like that before. But one thing was certain: It didn't bode well for the success of this mission.

"You alright?" She asks me quietly, voice full of concern.

"I don't know." I answer with a shaky voice. I can't explain further, as Tarkin begins to speak.

"I am beginning to admire the design of this Fortress. It's rather formidable to evade." He notes with a hint of sadistic glee.

"How can you admire such a horrid place?" Ahsoka asks in revulsion.

"Ah, you reveal your short-sightedness." Tarkin admonishes. "This ordeal only demonstrates how effective facilities like The Citadel are. Pity it ended up in Separatist hands and not ours."

''You desire to be feared will one day bring your downfall, Tarkin." I warn harshly. To me, it was obvious with the way he held himself. He acted as though he was above everyone else, deserved every praise possible.

"He has a point, though." Anakin admits. "It would have helped having a place like this for when we captured Separatists so they would have a tougher time escaping and returning to fight us again."

"But wouldn't that make us no better than those we fight?" Ahsoka asks with conviction.

"A blaster does not kill. It is the one who pulls the trigger that kills." I explain solemnly. "War takes away the black and white. All that is left are the blurred lines of grey."

"And on that note: You guys continue on ahead. I'll catch up." Anakin ends the conversation without batting an eye. "Keep on following the tunnel."

"Where are you going?" She asks with curiosity.

"Obi-Wan's not here, so someone has to watch our asses." Anakin retorts with a smile, before vanishing from sight.

"Always a dramatic entrance and exit." I note with humour, while Ahsoka simply rolls her eyes. With our orders, the two of us dash ahead to lead the group, ignoring Tarkin's complaints over the fact us children were leading. At least Rex attempted to defend us by explaining he had trust in our abilities.

As we round the corner, our path is blocked by a massive wall of rock. At least that was to any outsiders perspective anyway. Behind the wall, the path continued. The explosive charges we had brought were there for a reason. Taking the explosives from Fives, I begin to place them along the wall, ignoring the sudden blaster fire that erupts from behind me.

Once set, I toss two EMP grenades behind me, the pulse detonation frying the circuits of the droids without issue. I dive away from the wall as the charges detonate, the shock-wave sending me further towards the group as I tuck and roll, the momentum sending me into a tumble rather than a roll.

_The sound of a single shot echoes in my mind, before a barrage that followed._

"_I promised Murat no bombs. But I didn't think he'd mind if I gave some 20mm support."_

As I stand up, the world around me spins, sending me back down to the ground with a sharp pain in my lower left torso. I place my hand on the source of my pain, feeling the the wet, sticky blood that was dripping through the cloth, covering my hand in the red liquid.

"Ah, shit." I curse aloud as Ahsoka tries to help me up. "Stop, 'Soka." As she steps back, she notices why I stopped her. Anakin and the others were already moving ahead, having not kept still long enough to see me fail first fail at standing up.

"Anakin, wait!" Ahsoka calls, her concerned voice catching Anakin's immediate attention, where he notes my figure still on the ground. With a quick hand signal, the others wait as he walks over to us.

"Did you get hit by shrapnel?" He asks with worry.

"That doesn't matter. I just need to be patched up so we can keep moving." I declare with a snarl of pain. Echo walks over at Anakin's command, taking out the med supplies from the pack on his back. He looks at the wound and eyes me with an unspoken question. I nod my head, placing my hand above the wound and call the piece of lead to my palm, the action causing a sudden flow of blood before Echo swiftly dresses the injury with a bacta patch.

"I would say 'try not to strain yourself' but sadly, that won't be possible." Echo notes with concern, yet does not speak about what had just happened.

"I'll pull through." I assure, the pain swiftly fading as the bacta worked it's miracle.

"We need to keep moving." Anakin urges, as I finally stand up, with Echo supporting me as we moved, ensuring that I didn't keel over and die suddenly. Anakin pushed us on at a swift pace, but would often gaze back to check that I was doing okay.

"That wound was from a slug-thrower." Echo finally speaks, his voice quiet so no one would over-hear.

"Yeah." I admit, but don't continue with any explanation.

"You don't even know how it happened, do you." Echo states, rather than questions.

"I have theories, but nothing certain." I mutter. The trek stops, as a massive pipeline stands before us, the hatch creaking open with Anakin's touch.

"This pipe leads up to the ridge, where Artoo will pick us up and get us out of here." He explains, gesturing for everyone to enter.

"Keep your lights off, and weapons locked. Even the slightest electronic pulse could end it all." I warn, my voice echoing through the pipe.

"I hope somebody tells that to the droids." Tarkin quips, as the clicking of weapon locks echo in the backdrop of his irritating voice. Ahsoka then takes the lead, her predatory instincts and sensory the most effective to lead us to the exit.

The fact we were travelling through a fuel line was already bad enough. But Tarkin's constant nagging and complaining made it even worse. The longest fifteen minutes of my damn life.

"How much longer are we going to wander through this tunnel in the dark?" He complains once more.

"Captain Tarkin, haven't you learned to trust me by now?" Anakin asks him.

"You may have earned my trust, General Skywalker, but my faith in your comrades is still lacking." Tarkin retorts.

"You lack faith in the Jedi." Anakin notes.

"I find their tactics ineffective. The Jedi Code prevents them from going far enough to achieve victory, to do whatever it takes to win, the very reason why peacekeepers should not be leading a war." He rambles, before noticing Anakin's frustration. "Have I offended you?"

"No. I've also found that we sometimes fall short of victory because of our methods." He admits.

"While that may be, that doesn't mean victory should be achieved with the annihilation of an entire population." I add. By this point, I was able to walk on my own, with Echo returning to Fives' side some time ago. Tarkin prepares to make a comeback, but Ahsoka's voice stops him.

"I think I found a way out." She climbs the ladder and opens up the hatch, scanning the surroundings that she could.

"What do you see, Snips?" Anakin asks.

"The coast is clear." She calls down.

"Any sign of Obi-Wan or the shuttle?" Anakin then questions.

"No. I don't see him or Artoo anywhere…" She breaks of, before igniting her sabers and slashing through two droids without any part of them falling into the pipe.

"I think we need to get out of here." I note the obvious. Tarkin looks as though he was about to retort on instinct, but he stops himself and simply nods in agreement. Once everyone has slid down the pipe, we make a mad dash to the rocks that stood a hundred meters away, taking cover as the droids begin to open fire upon us.

"Plan's been compromised. The Shuttle isn't coming." Anakin explains, grabbing a charge from Rex and tossing it into the fuel line with a bounce off the hatch, the force closing up the pipe. As the charge detonated, so did the entire fuel line as the pressure increased beyond the structural limit, taking the droids out in an instant.

.

"Good throw." I compliment. "Plan 'B' then?"

"There's a plan 'B'?" Tarkin asks incredulously.

"When we're involved, there's always a plan 'B'" Anakin retorts, leading us forward. "We'll meet Obi-Wan at his position."

"I think Plan 'B' is compromised as well." I note, as Obi-Wan and his group fought against the droids that surrounded our escape plan.

"Do you have a Plan 'C'?" Tarkin asks sarcastically, though no one bothers to answer him. Plan C was worst case scenario after all. Once again, Anakin leads us to battle, joining up with Obi-Wan with vigour. Instead of using my lightsaber, I had my rifle, firing at any droid I could.

"Sorry I'm late." Anakin apologises with sarcasm.

"How nice of you to join us." Obi-Wan retorts. "The ship is surrounded."

"We need to launch a full forward assault and take that vessel." Tarkin yells.

"And get killed? Not happening." I shut him down. "Those turrets are our biggest issue." I gesture to the emplacements.

"Which is why we should get aboard that shuttle and use its weapon systems to decimate those droids!" Tarkin reiterates his point.

"THEY WILL SHOOT US DOWN BEFORE WE FIRE A SHOT! NOW SHUT UP!" I shout, my anger boiling at his foolishness.

"Well, whatever we're gonna do, we better do it fast." Obi-Wan notes, pointing to the shield holding Droid Commando's that emerged from the blast doors. As a small flight of STAPS began to fire upon us. As usual, Anakin goes and steals one of the vehicles, with Piell jumping on his back to deflect enemy fire from behind. Echo tosses a grenade at a group of shielded Commando's, the detonation destroying all but one, which rushed to an unmanned turret.

"General Skywalker, a commando is manning one of those turrets. They're gonna blow up the shuttle." Echo alerts. With the advanced warning, Anakin pilots the speeder towards the turret, firing at the emplacement, trying to gun down the Commando, but without success, as he and Piell are thrown off after taking a hit.

By Echo and Fives' side, I watch as they scan the droid, who was beginning to aim towards the shuttle.

"This is our only chance. We've got to stop him." Echo states, moving forward and picking up a discarded shield, making his way to the shuttle, the turret almost aimed on target.

"Echo, look out!" Fives shouts in warning, but too late. The turret hits the shuttle, taking it out in a large explosion, Echo going along with it. "ECHO!" The pain and despair in Fives' voice took a part of my soul away, along with a piece that left along with Echo's life. His charred and damaged helmet stood in front of us, smoke curling off of it.

"We have to move, now!" Obi-Wan orders, forcing us to retreat. We had to enact Plan 'C'. Opening a comm channel in a hurry, Obi-Wan connects to the Jedi Temple.

"Master Kenobi, what has happened?" Plo Koon asks, his concern evident.

"I'm afraid we've had a situation with the shuttle." Obi-Wan replies, before I run to his side.

"He means the fuckers blew it up. Get a fleet out here now, or I will make sure that no one gets the fucking coordinates!" I yell through the channel, earning silence for a few moments.

"It will be done. I'll bring Wolfpack to get you." Plo assures with a hint of sorrow in his voice.

"Thank you, General." I genuinely thank him, before the connection is cut. I toss a few EMP grenades behind us without a second thought, the pulse buying us some time. Once clear, we take shelter in a small cave, immediately planning on our next move.

"We'll need to hold out until the Wolfpack can get to us." Obi-Wan explains.

"Not a problem. We've beat them once, we can do it again." Anakin assures, though his eyes spoke something completely different. He knew we were going to take more losses, but there would be nothing we can do.

"This landscape is almost impossible to cross!" Tarkin complains. "How are we going to get to the rendezvous point?"

"That is the trap of The Citadel." I state. "It was designed so that it would be borderline impossible for fugitives to get off the surface, even if they escaped the tower."

"Good thing we aren't just any fugitives." Anakin retorts.

"Let's hope that you are right." Obi-Wan admits solemnly. Alcatraz was starting to look like paradise compared to this place.

**A/N - Hopefully I've written this alright. Take care.**


	17. The Citadel, Part 3

"Incoming!" Rex calls in warning, as multiple STAP vehicles strafe towards us. Anakin ignites his saber and deflects the bolts fired, sending them back to a single speeder, taking it down with ease. Fives takes out the pilot of the second while I do the same to the third, the unmanned speeders spiralling into the ground and impacting with a small explosion.

"That won't be the last of them." I note with a grimace. "What's the plan?"

"Our rendezvous will be on this small island." Obi-Wan says, activating a holo-map with the area in question. "There, Master Plo will have gunships pick us up, but we only have a small window of time to do it." At this, a baster bolt flies past, as droids begin to pour onto our position.

"They're boxing us in!" Anakin exclaims, his blade a blur as he protects us from the barrage of fire, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka by his side. Cody glances at the cliff drop behind us, an idea forming in his mind.

"Lock in your cables!" He orders, gesturing to the ledge, where they attach three cables in haste.

"Artoo, we need your droids to hold off the enemy as long as possible." Obi-Wan explains to the astromech, who immediately relays the orders to the reprogrammed droids. As the droids focus on the reprogrammed distraction, the rest of us rappel down the cliff.

"What if your Jedi friends are not there when we arrive?" Tarkin suddenly asks.

"Keep moving and you won't have to worry about that, Tarkin." I retort with a growl. As we continue on, the pain of my wound begins to increase. There was only so much a bacta patch could do. Ahsoka walks to my side, a frown on her features.

"Why did Master Piell have to share half the intel with that guy? It's like he's not even grateful we rescued him." She snarls quietly.

"Tarkin feels that the Jedi should not be leading the war effort." I explain to her.

"But that's ridiculous." She argues.

"He's not entirely wrong, though. The Jedi Code does prevent some from achieving victory. But I would prefer the Jedi over people like him." I admit with a sigh. A distant howl has everyone stop in their tracks.

"That doesn't sound good." Anakin notes with worry.

"We're going to have company soon." Obi-Wan agrees. With renewed vigour, we push onward. Not long after, another howl echoes across the landscape, closer than before.

"I don't think we are going to escape them." I admit with dread.

"We have no choice. We need to surprise them. Obi-Wan and I will create a distraction, the rest of you continue on to the Rendezvous point." Anakin explains, igniting his saber alongside Obi-Wan before backtracking to meet the tracking force head on.

With our orders recieved, we immediately push on, our journey a light jog as we try to make up time. As we enter a large clearing, several crab droids climb up to our position, attempting to box us in.

"Keep going! Ahsoka, Vex and I vill take care ov the droids" Piell orders, his lightsaber a blur as he leaps onto a crab droid and slashes through its circuitry. Ahsoka has her sabers in a defensive guard, covering the others until they clear the area. Having no choice, my own saber becomes a blur as bolts of plasma are sent back to their owners with inhuman accuracy. Another howl pierces the air, too close for anything good to happen.

"They're here!" I warn, though too late as Piell is immediately tackled to the ground by a snarling Anooba.

"Master Piell!" Ahsoka cries out, rushing to help him as I dealt with the other hounds. Each strike met its mark against the wolf-like hide. Without conscious thought, I send an Anooba into the lava with a push of energy. The last two try to run, but with a flick of a wrist, they are cut down without mercy. With the area clear, I move over to Piell's injured figure, Ahsoka by his side.

"I have to get help." She cries, only for his hand to stop her.

"No. Don't leave. Listen carefully to me, child. The information, I need you to deliver it back to the Council." He rasps to her.

"I should find Anakin or Obi-Wan. They need to hear this." Ahsoka argues.

"He will die before you can get them, 'Soka." I stop her, my voice solemn.

"He is right, child. Now, remember this, and see to it that the information I give to you will be revealed to no one but the Jedi Council." He orders, before Ahsoka leans down to listen as he gives her his half of the intel. As he finishes, he breathes his last and passes on.

"Leave his body here, Ahsoka." I state. "It is unfair to the others who have died on this mission if we bring his body to the others. He would understand." I place my around her, walking to the others with her by my side, her sorrow bleeding across our bond. As we reach the cave that everyone had been waiting in, Obi-Wan looks to us in sorrow.

"He's gone. Isn't he?" He asks gently.

"Yeah. Ahsoka has the information. He told her before he died." I affirm solemnly. "But we must move on." From where we stood, the small island was visible, being just a few hundred meters away, and surrounded by a moat of lava.

"The extraction point is dead ahead, let's move." Obi-Wan orders, leading the group with Anakin by his side.

Cody and Fives and Rex ready their cables as we reach the edge of the continent we stood on. With impeccable aim, the cables are attached. Tarkin, Ahsoka and Rex are the first three to cross, followed by Cody, Fives and myself, then Anakin, Obi-Wan and the other soldiers.

"The rescue ship should be here shortly." Obi-Wan assures, only for the hymn of speeder engines to disprove his assurance.

"You just had to jinx us, didn't you." I groan. Among the incoming forces, Osi Sobeck, the Warden of The Citadel growled. Instead of staying on his speeder, he leaps off and grabs Tarkin before any of us can react.

"If I can't have the information, it will die with you!" Sobeck declares, preparing to throw Tarkin into the lava, only for his limbs to freeze in place.

"Hello, Sobeck." I greet with a calm smile, emotions raging beneath the surface. "I heard that you were the Warden of this place." While I hold him still, Ahsoka collects Tarkin and brings him back to the others.

"My thanks, Padawan Tano." He sighs in relief, only to flinch at the crack and scream that originates from the Warden, as his limbs are broken bone by bone, before he is tossed into the lava. Tarkin looks at me in half awe, half fear, while Ahsoka looks to me with exasperation. Anakin and Obi-Wan just stare without any emotion.

"Did you really have to make his death that painful?" Obi-Wan finally asks.

"That was the least painful way I could have killed him." I retort, my hand lowering to the bandaged wound which had begun to bleed once more. Within the clouded sky, several beams of light shone down upon us, as two gunships landed to pick us up.

"I believe you've worn out your welcome." Plo Koon muses.

"You don't say." Obi-Wan replies with a slight smirk. As I enter the gunship, I slide down against the back wall, my hand still applying pressure to the wound in my side. Fives slides down beside me, removing his helmet. Once everyone was accounted for, the gunship left the atmosphere, docking onto the Venator it had come from.

As try to stand, but all my energy had left me, as I stumbled back down. Fives then helps me up and walks me to the med-bay.

"The last time you were in a Republic med-bay, you killed the med-droid. Should I be concerned that it will happen again?" Fives asks, trying to lighten the situation, yet failing awkwardly.

"Ahsoka's bound to pop in soon. She'll keep me out of trouble." I smile sadly. "I'm sorry about Echo."

"There's nothing you could have done. Nothing anyone could have done." Fives shakes his head. As he takes me in, the med-droid immediately begins to fuss over the wound, before placing me into a bacta tank to heal, sending me into darkness.

**A/N - Not sure I like how this one ends. It seems to be a recurring theme that the ending of arcs are a pain for me to write.**


	18. Visions

For me, visions are so much more than warnings. They are stories of others like me. I don't know how I know, but I do. But the weirdest part was that I could be injured from these 'visions' or I could bring items back with me. This was one such case.

**(Translation in English)**

_As the train passed through the tunnel, something odd occurred. On the chair across from me, as the weak lights flashed every now and then, a figure would appear and disappear, along with a box that would do the same on the small table. As the train exits the tunnel, the light of the sun blinds me for a moment._

_As my eyes adjust, the box that would shimmer in and out of reality stood alone on the table. Without thought, I place my hand on the box, and in response, it opened, revealing a small prism and an mp3 player, along with a note._

'_**All of us need something to keep us busy in this place. My first gift to you, lost soul, is a device that holds all the music of your past, along with a few recordings for advice that you may one day need. **_

_**My seconds gift is a key. A piece of the Null Element, which is what cages us in this eternal prison. God be with you.'**_

_**\- Murat The Bear**_

_I knew that name. It was from the first vision I had. I was wounded as a result of his own injury, from what I could tell at least. My surroundings began to warp, with black roots growing through the room. The train passes through a tunnel entrance, and my vision darkens._

"Vex?" Captain Rex calls, and I open my eyes, his figure sitting across from me at the table, where the player and prism now lay. "What just happened?" He looks at me with confusion, his eyes darting between the items on the table and me. I blink a few times as around me, the rest of the mess hall seems to build itself from nothing.

"I don't know." I lie. These visions had been occurring more often lately. But this one was different. I didn't get an injury, but rather two items that sat on the table, the food trays that I remember being there no longer present. I take the items, placing the prism on my lap while opening the track list on the player. As I scan over the list of songs, I fail to notice as Ahsoka takes a seat beside me.

"What's that?" Her voice startles me, and my hand reflexively moves to the saber hilt, until my mind catches up with everything, and I relax myself. Ahsoka then snatches the prism from my lap, eyeing it with curiosity. "It looks similar to a Sith Holocron."

"I don't think it is anything made by Jedi or Sith." I admit softly. The feeling that the prism emitted was not from the Force, but it still felt evil and corrupt. An oil like feeling that just felt wrong. I then take the item from her hands. "But I don't think you should be touching it either way." She pouts, but makes no move to retort or take the prism back. She then takes the player from me and picks a song from it, the music loud enough for us to hear, but not loud enough to be an annoyance to others.

'_Sen gülünce güller açar gülpembe_**(****When you smiled, roses bloomed,**** Rosepink)**

_Bülbüller seni söyler_**(****Nightingales sang your name****)**

_Biz dinlerdik gülpembe_**(****We used to listen to them****, Rosepink)**

"I see you found my song." A gentle, yet deep voice calls. A man in military uniform, kit and all, walks to me. The mess hall was gone, and in it's place stood a mountain. The same man that stood by me is seen running up the mountain, stumbling a few times due to his injury, yet pushes further on.

"Murat the Bear." I greet softly. He smiles with glee at the name, and places a hand on my shoulder, as the other 'Murat' reached the top of the mountain, collapsing down and activating the radio.

_Sen gelince bahar gelir gülpembe_**(****As spring came, so did you, ****Rosepink)**

_Dereler seni çağlar_**(****Creeks said your name****)**

_Sevinirdik gülpembe_**(****We used to be happy****, Rosepink)**

"34-50, Murat, are you there?" A feminine voice calls from the radio, concern evident in her words. The other 'Murat laughs in relief, rolling himself over a little bit.

"What's your name?" 'Murat' asks through the radio. I look on, and feel as Murat shifts uneasily.

"Name?" The voice asks in confusion.

"Yes, your name." 'Murat' confirms before sighing. "Forgive me, I'm curious."

"Gökçe. My name is Gökçe." She answers softly. "Never mind that. How badly are you hurt?"

_Gündüz yağmurlarıyla_**(****With daylight rains****)**

_Bir gün göçtün gittin_**(****You left and went one day****)**

_İnanamadık gülpembe_**(****We couldn't believe it, ****Rosepink)**

_Bizim iller sessiz_**(****Our village was empty****)**

_Bizim iller sensiz_**(****Our village couldn't be****)**

_Olamadı gülpembe_**(****Without you, ****Rosepink****)**

"The bullet drilled my spleen." 'Murat' explains with pain.

"Stay with me. I can get you help." Gökçe assures, only for 'Murat' to stop her.

"No. I've lost too much blood. Even with the fastest transport, no one would reach me in time." He states. "I'll give you the coordinates, but I don't have much time, Gökçe."

_Dudağında son bir türkü gülpembe_**(****The last song from your lips, ****Rosepink****)**

_Hala hep seni söyler_**(****Still sings about you****)**

_Seni çağırır gülpembe_**(****Still calls you, ****Rosepink****)**

"I promised Murat no bombs. But I didn't think he'd mind if I gave some 20mm support"

_Gündüz yağmurlarıyla_**(****With daylight rains****)**

_Bir gün göçtün gittin_**(****You left and went one day****)**

_İnanamadık gülpembe_**(****We couldn't believe it, ****Rosepink****)**

_Bizim iller sessiz_**(****Our village was empty****)**

_Bizim iller sensiz_**(****Our village couldn't be****)**

_Olamadı gülpembe_**(****Without you, ****Rosepink****)**

"I've got another set of coordinates for you. You can drop some bombs there." 'Murat' explains, his voice quiet as he slowly dies. "400214103-05179962."

"Your location." Gökçe notes, her breath hitching. Moments later, the hill detonates, killing everyone on the hill, my vision turning white.

"You know where to find me." Murat's voice echoes in my mind, as the song finishes it's tune.

_Dudağında son bir türkü gülpembe_**(****The last song from your lips, ****Rosepink****)**

_Hala hep seni söyler_**(****Still sings about you****)**

_Seni çağırır gülpembe_**(****Still calls you, ****Rosepink****)**

_Gözlerimde son bir umut gülpembe_**(****One last hope in my eyes****, Rosepink****)**

_Hala hep seni arar seni bekler gülpembe_**(****Still looks and waits for you, ****Rosepink****)**

_Dudağında son bir türkü gülpembe_**(****The last song from your lips, ****Rosepink****)**

_Hala hep seni söyler_**(****Still sings about you****)**

_Seni çağırır gülpembe_**(****Still calls you, ****Rosepink****)**

_Gözlerimde son bir umut gülpembe_**(****One last hope in my eyes****, Rosepink****)**

_Hala hep seni arar seni bekler gülpembe_**(****Still looks and waits for you, ****Rosepink****)**

The mess hall rebuilds itself once more, and I find Ahsoka and Rex watching with concern. This was not going to be fun to explain.

**A/N - The beginning of Purgatory! Well, actually, Vex has already been through a few cycles, but he has no memory, which I admit is a bit ****cliché, but part of the story anyway. Murat the Bear is from the Netflix series 'Boru' or 'Wolf'… Murat has another nickname: Rosepink, because in tough situations, he would sing the song Gülpembe, which means Rosepink. For now, the explanation given to Ahsoka and Rex is a minor detail, meaning it will not be shown in a chapter for a while.**


	19. Purgatory

"I must admit I didn't expect you to call on me again so soon." Murat admits. He sat across from me on the train from my visions, a labyrinth stretched out below us as we continued in transit.

"I need to know some things. Mainly, where exactly are we? What is this place that keeps us trapped?" I ask, curious and also fearful. Murat sighs with sorrow.

"We're in Purgatory." His words increase my fear.

"_Purgatory is the place in between, a Limbo of sorts, and the home of those who have no place in Heaven nor Hell. A true nightmare."_

Murat watches me carefully, his eyes kind, yet analysing. The train passes through another tunnel, and what was once the inside of a train became the inside of a prison, with Murat still by my side. He hands over an eyepiece, intricate and arcane.

"This will help show the workings of things." He explains, before his form faded away, leaving me alone in the room. "Good luck" His voice echoes through the room.

_Events of a play-through of The Room 3 Chapter 1._

As the lighthouse is lit up, the surrounding area shifting back to the small room I had taken up residence within the Venator. The earphones continued to play Rosepink, until I stopped the player, revealing the thrum of engines that carried through the ship.

I had not yet listened to the other songs and tunes that the player held, and I have to admit, I am afraid of what they will show me. Some of the names didn't help that fear. 'Lost' was not one that sounded fun.

But, one day, I will listen to them. Just not today. Beside me, the eyepiece lay delicately, until I brought it to my eye, the room illuminating with bright blue markings and runes, the familiar vines of darkness covered small areas of the place. With a sigh, I lower the eyepiece and walk through the ship, occasionally raising the lens for a few moments, before continuing on.

In every area, the vines stood in small clusters, often within small corners or climbing along support beams. But in the med-bay, they were different. They seemed to be attached to every piece of machinery, and instead of being black and tar-like, they were a dark green, with the occasional red vein adorning them. It was like the vines were what truly healed the injured, rather than all the medical equipment. Purgatory itself seems to decide who lives and dies from the looks of it.

The Bridge was different as well. The vines were completely absent, and instead, each officer was connected to one another by glowing runes on their hands, a near invisible line of energy connected to each rune.

But the most confusing thing, was myself. In a mirror, with the lens equipped, I did not look the same. I was shrouded in a black cloak that flowed and billowed in the absent breeze, with two glowing purple eyes the only thing visible from under the hood. The cloak was marked with the Null Symbols, and a lightsaber was in hand, the yellow, crackling blade thrumming with power. As I stood frozen, another form appeared in the mirror, an angel in all aspects, their figure glowing brightly, features soft and calming, but still startling enough to take me from the trance and remove the lens from my eyes.

The mirror shimmered as my normal form replaced the cloaked figure, and the angelic figure faded to show Ahsoka, who looked at me with concern.

"You alright?" She asks gently, her concern rolling off her in waves. I smile slightly, but it is visibly forced, so I drop the farce and sigh.

"I don't know." I admit. "I listened to the song again, and like what happened at the mess, I spoke with Murat. What he explained to me is concerning, yet something that cannot be changed."

"Can you tell me what he said?" She asks, her concern growing. I shake my head.

"I'm afraid that you will be killed If I tell you." I state. She scoffs in response, her voice light.

"A bit dramatic and stupid by the sounds of it." She states, an uneasy smile on her face.

"From an outside perspective, definitely. But after the things I have seen, I'm not so sure." I note. "But I need to distract myself for a bit. You up for a spar?" She smiles in response, before dragging me away. I'm glad I have people like Ahsoka by my side.

**A/N - Things are getting hard to explain. The figure that stared back in the mirror is effectively the image of the Reapers in Enigmatis: The Mists Of Ravenwood.**


	20. Darkness on Umbara

"Ahsoka and Barriss are above orbit fighting the Droid Blockade. Masters Krell and Tiin will be supporting my troops in the south, while Anakin's battalion comes in from the north and takes out enemy reinforcements" Obi-Wan begins. "It is imperative that we conquer the capital city as quickly as possible, and hold it"

"Our biggest problem is gonna be the local militia. The Umbarans have allied themselves with the Separatists and are heavily armed. ARC Trooper Fives will be assisting my units on special assignments." Anakin adds, motioning to Fives.

"Ready to do my part, General Skywalker." His voice was confident, but underneath, he was in pain. Ever since Echo had died, Fives had become more distant. He was more outspoken at times, and often it would cause tensions within the command structure.

"I'll be joining Anakin as well. Things are getting messy lately, and the more we have, the better." I inform. "It'll be like old times." Obi-Wan and Anakin both smile momentarily at my words, before both returned to their passive expression.

"Remember, Anakin. Cody and I will be counting on you to take out those local fighters, or I'm afraid the capital will never surrender." Obi-Wan warns.

"Does my battalion have to do everything?" Anakin asks dryly.

"You seem to always volunteer." Obi-Wan retorts. "May the Force be with you." The hologram fades, leaving us to board the gunships.

I jump in the same Gunship as Anakin, and grab hold of a handle. As we descend into the atmosphere, green energy bolts dart past us, one of the nearby gunships taking a hit and detonating into flames, plummeting down to the surface.

"There's a lot of surface fire." I note with worry, moments later a second gunship is downed.

"They ain't got nothing we can't handle, sir." Hardcase replies, his rotary cannon at the ready. He reminded me of Hevy, or at least, what Fives and Echo had told me of him. The shoot first, talk later, go head first into battle kind of person.

"General Skywalker, I've turned the lights out. Our night vision sensors are having a tough time in this chop." The pilot calls. "I hope we don't overshoot the landing site."

"Just get us as close as you can." Anakin assures.

"Time to lock and load!" Hardcase visibly grins, excitement evident in his voice. The gunship slows, before the doors open and the backdrop of war returns. Hardcase immediately began to open fire, his rotary cannon tearing through enemies in his path. Anakin and I ignite our sabers, the familiar azure hue a calming sight compared to everything else. Rex moves with us, his dual pistols as accurate as ever, finding their targets swiftly, his form ducking when needed.

"We need to take that ridge, but they have heavy weapons emplacements. They are tearing our forces apart." I say to Anakin, our sabers a blur as we deflect bolt after bolt without any sign of a break.

"Relax, Sir, We were bred for this!" Hardcase calls to me, having appeared from nowhere, only to disappear once more, the only sound of his being the rotary cannon, that was somehow different to any other.

"Okay, I swear he is hyperactive." I state in amusement, while Anakin orders the AT-RT walkers down. The agile two legged vehicles sped through the battlefield, arriving at the stationary emplacements in no time and destroying them. With their heavy weapons gone, the Umbarans begin to fall back, our already thinned forces pushing forward. In the distance, I watch as Fives blows up a Sarlacc like creature, and Hardcase helping him up, before they rejoined the battalion. As we pushed them beyond the ridge, the battalion took up the position for themselves on our order. After a good half hour, Dogma marched up to us and saluted.

"All platoons have reported in, General." He relays.

"Get some rest." Anakin approves.

"Thank you, sir. I'm fine." Dogma replies, continuing to stand at attention.

"Dogma, he means it as an order. Go get some rest." I repeat gently.

"Of course, sir." He replies, and heads off, his posture barely relaxing.

"Poor kid. He's wound up tight." I note in sadness. The war was taking its toll on even the newer additions. With the demand of more troops, the newer recruits were given only the bare basics in training, before being sent off to the front lines two years younger than normal.

"Reminds me of you, Rex." Anakin says, remembering a time from before I was around.

"Maybe… back in the day." Rex remarks with sadness. Having realised he hit a sore spot, Anakin drops the conversation, instead using his macro-binoculars to scan the path ahead. Moments later, the hairs on my body stick up, as the air electrifies.

"What the…" My question is cut off as the troops call out.

"Look out! Ambush! They're behinds us!" We turn behind us simultaneously, raising our weapons.

"I'll call in an air strike. Get everyone off the ridge." I order, both Anakin and Rex nodding before taking off. I open a channel to our bomber squadron. "Broadside, do you copy?"

"I read you, sir." The pilot responds, his voice tense.

"We need an air strike. Mark my current position and drop the payloads in a carpet bombing run." I explain.

"On it. Shadow 1, 3 and 7 will make the run, the rest will cover us." Broadside adds, before the connection is cut, and I begin to clear the ridge, catching back up with Anakin and Rex. A few moments later, the ridge erupts in flames as the three Y-Wings pass overhead, the battalion having just cleared the blast zone, as the shock-wave passed through the ranks without harm.

"Glad we got off that ridge." Anakin admits. I nod in agreement. Nothing would be living there any time soon. The hum of engines catches our attention, as a gunship, along with an escort of two Headhunters land by us. Jedi General Pong Krell steps out and moves to us.

"_Something isn't right about him." _Murat's voice echoes in my mind, and even the Null Pyramid seemed to hum in agreement. With the forewarning from a source better than the Force, I raised my guard, raising the shields in my mind.

"My thanks for the assist, General Krell." Anakin bows slightly.

"It was no trouble, General Skywalker. The Umbarans are putting up a larger resistance than we anticipated." Krell notes.

"But that's not the reason for your visit?" Anakin asks the Basilisk Humanoid.

"No." Krell admits. "The Council has ordered you back to Coruscant, effective immediately."

"What? Why?" Anakin cries with incredulity.

"I'm afraid a request was made by the Supreme Chancellor, and the Council obliged." Krell explains. "That is all they would tell me."

"I can't just leave my men!" He argues, to which I both applaud and face palm mentally. Rex could hold his own, and if need be, I could taker command until he returned. Though I appreciated his desire to stay and bight with his men rather than leave them at a moments notice without thinking twice.

"I'll be taking over in the interim." Krell says.

"Don't worry about a thing, sir. We'll have this city under Republic control by the time you're back." Rex assures him, earning a nudge of approval in the Force.

"Master Krell. This is Rex, my first in command. You won't find a finer and more loyal trooper anywhere." Anakin praises Rex, who stands at attention.

"Good to hear." Krell replies, a hint of disdain and malice etched in his words. Anakin seems to notice it as well, as he slightly narrows his eyes at Krell, before glancing at me with an unspoken order. I was definitely going to keep an eye on Krell. Without any further debate, his shoulders slumped in defeat, Anakin boards the gunship, leaving us to watch as it takes off. "Prepare the men. We depart in fifteen minutes." His order surprises both Rex and I, but we obey nonetheless, the battalion prepared with five minutes to spare, or so we thought. We are ordered to march as soon as we report our readiness to Krell.

The hours tick by, and with them, so does the ire build up over Krell. He was harsh, his words dictating that he was above everyone else, a 'superior' specimen/race/Jedi. No one liked him… well, except Dogma, who was simply following what he was taught, with him being so new to the war.

"Quicken that pace, battalion. This isn't some training course on Kamino!" Krell calls to us. His voice an equivalent to nails on a chalk board, though more in the mental aspects, rather than the sound. He was also incorrect in his statement, as Kamino training courses were this combined with facing overwhelming droid forces. At least that is when in battalion sized training. It was fun in it's own way though, knowing that you could fight a battle without risk of dying, or well, as big a risk as if it were on the front lines.

"The General has a way with words." Fives notes, his voice dragging me from my concerns and thoughts. I nod in response to him, eyeing Rex who neither voices an agreement with us, nor attempts to defend General Krell. A few moments later, and the medic, Kix walks up to us.

"Sirs, we've been keeping this pace for 12 hours. The men need some rest, or we won't be able to fight." He informs, and so Rex and I make our way to Krell.

"General Krell, the top of this ridge will make a good place for the men to make camp." Rex offers.

"The men don't need rest. They need the resolve to complete the task at hand." Krell denies, to which I stand in.

"Pong Krell, unless you wish to fail this campaign, you will allow a short rest for everyone. Or would you rather having to explain to the entire Republic why your actions cost us the whole fucking battle?" I ask, my voice sharp. His body tenses, but the reaction is well hidden. I was not going to take his shit all the time, for the men were more than troops, they were family to me.

"Two hours. You have two hours to rest, before we keep moving." Krell relents stiffly. I help Rex get everyone set up for a short break, making sure to stay close.

Once the two hours pass, the battalion continues to march for another six hours, before we reach the staging point. Rex and I join Krell to 'plan' the attack.

"Sir, we're ready to bring our forward platoons in for a surgical strike on the city's defences." Rex informs him.

"There won't be any need, Captain." Krell responds with spite.

"Sir?" Rex asks, confused.

"All platoons will execute a forward assault along the main route to the city." Krell explains roughly.

"But, sir, General Skywalker's plan was to surprise them with multiple attacks. If we come in from the main route, they're likely to engage us in a full frontal assault. We would take heavy casualties." Rex argues politely.

"Change of plans, Captain. I'm in command now." Krell bites back.

"With all due respect, General, we don't know what we are up against. It might be wiser to think first." Rex furthers.

"Are you questioning my order? This battalion will take the main road straight to the capital. You will not stop, and you will not turn back, regardless of the resistance you meet. We will attack them with all our troops, not some sneak attack with a few men. That is my order. And you will follow it explicitly. Do I make myself clear, CT-7567?" Krell asks in anger. I have my hand on the hilt of my lightsaber, ready to defend Rex if need be.

"Yes, General." Rex answers in as controlled a voice as possible.

"Now, engage!" Krell orders. As I prepare to head off, Krell attempts to stop me. As his hand moves to me, I ignite my saber, his Force-Enhanced reflexes the only reason his hand remains attached.

"You hold no control over me, Krell. I won't take orders from you even beyond the grave." I hiss, before stalking off, dragging Rex with me to prepare the battalion, only to find half already gone and set up by Krell. With our forces halved, and no other option currently, we marched on, the men visibly worried about their lives considering Krell's suicidal orders. Their worry was proven to be well founded when an explosion tore through one of the AT-RT walkers, injuring a few men nearby.

"Mines! Nobody move!" Rex calls quickly. With a reason to obey, everyone holds still, except those within the radius of the detonated mine, where it was safe. One of the troopers checks those caught in the blast.

"Oz and Ringo are down. Oracle and Des are pretty badly injured." He reports.

"Can you sweep them?" Rex asks Fives, who takes out a scanning device, it's scanner illuminated any explosive devices in its path. The whole road was rigged.

"This is a trap." I realise, my point near immediately proven as blaster fire erupts all around us, Umbarans appearing from the shadows. "Fuck. I hate it when I'm right." I say. Taking my saber and igniting it, taking a Form III position to defend the men as best as possible. Unfortunately, I am not a complete miracle worker. Our losses continue to rise.

"We don't have any cover out here! We need to pull back!" Fives calls out.

"Everyone, fall back. We need to draw them towards us!" Rex orders, repeating Fives overall point. "If we can lure them into sight, we can shoot them!" As we made our strategic retreat, the Umbarans followed, believing their victory to be absolute. As they dashed out of cover, they became easy targets, and we began to push them back. Hardcase was enjoying himself, his rotary cannon firing away.

"Where are ya going'? Get back here!" He mockingly calls out to the enemy, who began to fall back themselves.

"They're pulling back!" I shout in relief. "Good idea Rex." And then Krell calls out.

"CT-7567! Do you have a malfunction in your design?" He asks rhetorically. "You've pulled your forces back from taking the capital city! The enemy now control this route!" He berates. "This entire operation has been compromised, because of your failure!" Fives then stands up for Rex before I could.

"General Krell, in case you haven't noticed, Captain Rex just saved this platoon. Surely you won't fail to recognise that." He spits out in anger, to which Krell takes his saber, ignites it and points it towards Fives.

"ARC-5555, stand down." He says menacingly, I move to step in and ignite my own saber, only for Rex to stop me.

"Sir, if I may address your accusations. I followed your orders. Even in the face of a plan, that Vex, who has been training at Kamino wherever he can to understand tactics, and now has more knowledge than most Jedi, found severely flawed. This plan cost us men. Not Clones! MEN! As sure as it is my duty to remain loyal to your command, I also have another duty. To protect these men." Rex argues defiantly, showing the other side of him.

"You have a spark of tenacity, Captain. I'll give you that." Krell says. "I know that I don't command like the Jedi you're used to serving, certainly not like General Skywalker, but I have my way. It may be difficult, but these are difficult times. And it's proven effective. I suppose your loyalty to your men is to be commended. They seem to admire this. That's important for an effective commander. Alright, 'Captain Rex', your opinion has been noted. Dismissed." Krell leaves us, his body rigid.

"He's playing with us, Rex. I have never met any Jedi who act like this." I warn him.

"I agree. But I can't do anything about it." Rex responds, before blaster fire erupts, as the Umbarans return in greater numbers.

"Incoming!" A trooper calls out, a little late, as he is shot down. Fives comes up to us, his blaster firing with deathly accuracy.

"You think Krell still intends on taking the capital using this strategy?" He asks.

"I don't know. I'll get back to you if we survive this battle." Rex replies, as once again, we were fighting for our lives.

**A/N – ****I am wondering where this will go. I have ideas, but nothing concrete yet.**


	21. The General

Lightsaber ablaze, I deflect what energy bolts I can. With the Umbarans having suddenly built up a defence in our path, we have no choice but to push forward.

The sound of engines was the first warning. The second was the volley of blaster fire that tore through a nearby group of troops. The final warning was the sight of the Umbaran Starfighters that had begun to fire upon us. Everyone rushes to cover, hiding from their sight until they finally back off.

"We have got to move before those fighters come back." I warn Rex, who was taking cover beside me.

"Rex! Rex, over here!" Kix calls as he drags an injured trooper behind cover. Rex and I rush over and join him, as a few other men move with us.

"Jesse, take the right flank. Dogma, take the left flank." Rex orders, the two troopers immediately following his order. Kix takes out a med-shot and injects it into the injured soldier.

"It'll be okay, buddy. This will ease the pain." He says gently. Rex glances over to Krell, who was communicating with Obi-Wan, before moving to go by the General's side. I place a hand on Kix.

"You holding up alright?" I ask.

"I'll be fine. Can't say the same for everyone, though." He retorts with anger. I simply nod my head, having no way to actually assure him everything would be fine. It just wouldn't.

"Captain Rex, have those coordinates mapped and all troops ready to move out." Krell's loud, baritone voice echoes his order. Rex salutes before rounding up the platoon sergeants and giving out orders. Within half hour, the battalion is marching towards the next objective, an airbase that was resupplying the Capitol.

Several klicks away from the base, Fives scouts the place with his helmet optic, the inbuilt macro-binoculars giving him as clear a view as possible through the foliage.

"There's a base there, all right, and it's heavily guarded. At least three tank divisions, plus guns." He reports.

"We'll advance along the central gorge and engage their forces in a full-frontal assault." Krell explains, the holo-map highlighting said route.

"The gorge is narrow, sir. We'll only be able to move our platoons in single squads. Perhaps a closer recon will tell us if there's a more secure route." Rex offers, attempting to reduce further casualties.

"Obi-Wan and the other battalions are holding off the enemy right now while they wait for us to take out this base. We don't have time to look for a more secure route." Krell denies, playing the campaigns to force his tactic.

"Yes, sir." Rex responds, once more rounding up the battalion. Fives and I lead the first group through the death-trap, wary for the slightest movement. When several of the native 'flying stingrays' depart the area, Fives speaks up.

"They look spooked." He notes. If they weren't spooked, they would have tried to attack us, proving his point. The ground shaking also proves his point. "What the…" I don't let him finish his rhetorical question, as the Force, and Murat, scream a warning of the danger.

"Everyone move!" I yell, moments before a large centipede-like machine erupts from the ground, emitting an ear-piercing shriek. The turrets on its back spun in 180 degree intervals, sometimes less, but never more. It was almost like a loading action in a slug-thrower. It's head contained even more weapons, which were used immediately to gun down the men who either froze at the sight or could not get away in time.

"What is that thing?" One of the troops ask, but is left without an answer. More of these war machines erupt around us. After a few moments, the men begin to fire on the beast, aiming at the head. Their weapons prove ineffective as the rounds disperse against the target.

"Its head is ray shielded!" Fives calls out, before opening a channel to Rex. "Mayday, mayday! Rex, we need rocket launchers now!" The fact each group would be sent at five minute intervals was a bonus, considering it meant Rex's group was already close by. Fact proven as several anti-vehicle troopers rush over to us, only to be mostly gunned down by a nearby centipede, which then foolishly moved away, leaving the launchers and injured men alone. I rush over to the nearest trooper, who pushes his launcher toward me.

"Take it, take it." He rasps, his body slumping as his wounds catch up, his life fading in an instant

"I'll use it well, brother." I assure, taking the weapon and moving closer to one of the centipedes, taking aim at the head. Once certain of a kill shot, I fire the launcher, the rocket impacting against the target and eliminating one of several centipedes. With the rocket spent, and no spare ammo on me, I sling the launcher across my back and search for Rex, finding him grouped with the survivors and giving orders.

"Bring up the launchers, spread detonators along that corridor." His voice is calm and confident, a trait I will never understand. As I walk up to him he takes notice of the launcher on my back and grabs a few rocket pods for me, but mostly ignores my presence, instead moving to join his men once more. Before long, they stand atop a long outcropping and begin waving and calling out.

"Hey, come on! Over here! Hey! Hey!" The centipedes advanced on the seemingly easy prey, but as soon as they got close, the explosives previously planted detonate, and cause a chain reaction that has everyone ducking for cover. Once the explosions stop, Rex calls out.

"Alright. Let's move out. We'll finish off anything that survived." His order final, we scour the wreckage, finishing off any half working centipedes with rockets. An Umbaran stumbles out of the wreckage near us, his helmet cracked.

"No juice left in him, either." I note, firing a single bolt to his head, ending his life. Before I take another step, the ground faintly shakes. Not from more centipedes, but something else. I wasn't the only one to notice, As Rex had ordered the group to halt. He activates his own optics, stiffening at whatever he sees.

"Oh fuck." He curses. "FALL BACK!" His order is further enforced as an energy blast detonates by a group of troopers, immediately disintegrating them in an instant. I swiftly un-sling the launcher and aim at the barely visible tank. Within a second of aiming, I fire, allowing the Force to guide the projectile, feeling the path it would take, and feeling as it impacted with the target, leaving no effect.

"Oh that can't be good." I state, fear written on my face. I open a channel to Broadside, yet only static answers. We weren't getting any air support for this. I fall further back, catching up with Rex in a small cave, where Krell is shouting at him through the comlink.

"-You listening? Do not fall back! That is an order!" Krell's hand moves to cut the link, but his hand stops, his body freezing in motion as I audibly snarl.

"Pong Krell, unless you wish to join us on the front-lines, where we have to avoid a projectile that disintegrates an area of effect on sight, you can fuck off." And without hesitation, I break one of Krell's arms with the Force before cutting the link. His lack meant he wouldn't need the arm anyway, not to mention he has another three. Fives walks to me and places a hand on my shoulder.

"Sir?" He questions with concern.

"I can't get in contact with Broadside, so we don't have any air support, and rockets have no effect against those tanks." I state.

"Why not use your powers against them?" Dogma asks with curiosity as well as scrutiny.

"I would be disintegrated before I could finish one off. If it was only one, maybe, but multiple? I don't have any openings." I explain. Rex stays quiet, and I can see his mind working on ideas.

"Then we're finished." Tup, another new addition to the 501st, sighs in defeat.

"We've still got some fight left in us." Rex finally speaks. "And I think I have an idea."

"What do you have in mind?" Fives asks.

"We can't get air support from up high. So why not get our own?" Rex asks rhetorically. "If we can continue to keep the tanks occupied, the airbase should be easier to infiltrate."

"Fives and Hardcase." I state, earning looks from everyone. "What? Fives has ARC training, so he is suited for the mission. But, he shouldn't go alone. Hardcase is probably one of the more 'combat able' men here, so he should go too." Rex's comlink begins to chime, and I groan audibly. Fives and Hardcase take that as their sign to go.

Rex moves to answer his comlink, but I crush it with the Force, preventing him from hearing Krell's outbursts.

"We don't have the time to deal with his crap. We need to get the attention of those tanks." I state.

"With weapons that do nothing against them? Are you crazy?" Tup asks incredulously.

"Firstly, the rockets can't penetrate the shields that protect the drivers. Meaning we may be able to damage the weaponry. Secondly, yes I am crazy." I explain, taking the launcher from my back and stepping out of the cave. I put some distance between said cave and myself, before targeting one of the disintegration cannons atop a tank, firing at it and watching with satisfaction as the cannon is disable, hanging loosely on the tank.

I notice Rex, who takes aim at his own tank, recreating the same effect. Everyone with their own launchers follow our example, and by the time Fives and Hardcase return in hijacked fighters, none of the tanks had working disintegration cannons.

With that obstacle cleared, we push into the airbase, the fighter support from Fives and Hardcase eliminating the threat of heavy weapons, allowing us to capture the base faster than expected.

"Vex Hunter!" Krell bellows, multiple troopers, including Appo, following at his heel as he marches over to me. "You are under arrest for attacking a Republic General, as well as completely disregarding orders given!" He yells, the troopers surrounding me with their weapons drawn, the stun setting activated.

"Was wondering whether you had the guts to do it." I admit with a smirk, before once more using the Force to break an arm. Not that I could feel the satisfaction a second time. My consciousness fades.

**A/N - This arc is starting to kill me. It's such an important point in the war, and the story of Star Wars, yet Vex needs to live through this as well. He has lived through several hundred worlds in purgatory before this, but not one of them stayed in his memory, meaning that he was effectively a clean slate each time. But now, there is more to develop, and with how I see him as a character, this kind of event will build his later personality.**


	22. Imprisoned

I awaken in a cell bunk, multiple troops of the 501st standing guard throughout the prison. Sitting up, I feel through the Force, noticing every single being within the prison, all Umbarans, except for me. On instinct, I move to take my player out, only to stop myself at the last moment. I was in prison for fucks sake, not to mention I never brought it into battle, meaning I never even had it on me to begin with.

With a sigh, I let myself relax. I could still meditate, but I don't know what would happen, considering I hadn't done so without the music before. Honestly, I'm not expecting much. The way I meditate is similar to how the Sith do, using a focal point to enter the trance. Not like my mind is able to slow down effectively enough to enter meditation like a Jedi.

A single thought enters my mind. Dragons. They were a majestic creature that I admired and respected. Beings of power and energy. Outside of this place, Dragons were considered mythical, being a fantasy made up by human minds to be the villain in fairy tales. But to me, even then, they were much more.

Behind closed eyes, I fade into a forest. Around me, creatures of myth sang their tunes. The trees covered the sky above, whether one exists I can't tell.

"Interesting." A feminine voice calls beside me. I open my eyes and turn to the voice. Beside me, a human with Draconic limbs sits. **(Will have a link for the base image at the end) **Her scales were dominantly bronze, but with hues red, green, grey-black, blue and a silver white that matched the colour of her lengthy hair.

"I get that reaction quite a lot." I admit dryly, a smile tugging at my lips. In the back of my mind, I feel a faint feeling of remembrance, as though I had met this dragon goddess before.

"I'm not surprised. After all, it is not often that people come and visit. Even if they are stuck in Purgatory." She states. "Before you ask, I am Tiamat."

"The Mother of all Dragons?" I question.

"The one and only." She grins, her teeth glistening in the ambient light. "But I will admit, I have been trying to contact you myself. I know how hard it can be in Purgatory, an eternal life of death and rebirth. But I could not reach you. Something was blocking me." Her voice softens, and she eyes me with worry.

"I think it was Purgatory itself that was preventing you from reaching me." I muse. "It would be the most likely reason. The Null is strange like that."

"Perhaps." She frowns in thought. "This is the first time I have heard of this 'Null', however. What is it?"

"I'm not entirely sure myself. All I know is that it is what keeps Purgatory standing." I sigh. "What I find interesting, is that even having no memory of my past, I feel like I know you." She smiles softly, a look of reminiscence, before a tingling sensation passes through me and the surrounding area begins to shimmer, an aching pain in my head slowly becoming more severe.

"What's happening?" Tiamat asks, her smile gone and her concern palpable.

"I don't know." I say through grit teeth, before my body jolts upright, pain coursing through me for what feels like days, before I can refocus on everything around me. I send a gentle probe through the area, finding two new presences nearby, along with a small group of people approaching the cell. The lift lowers into view, with Rex and a few men from both 501st and 212th beside him. One the lift platform, Fives and Jesse's armour sat ready, while my saber sat clipped on Rex's belt. At this sight, I pulse the Force through the binds on my wrists, breaking them into pieces with little effort. I stand and move to the ray-shield door.

"I should have acted sooner." Rex states, clenching his fists. "I was a fool." He deactivates the shielding, freeing the three of us. Fives and Jesse immediately begin equipping their armour, while I call the saber to my hand. "We're arresting Krell."

**A/N - Not sure how I like this chapter. I need to have Tiamat introduced as a support for Vex, but I feel that it could have been done differently. Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually. At least I can now continue on other chapters.**


	23. Carnage of Krell

As the lift opens, the men immediately move to surround Krell, their blasters raised, safeties off. Rex aims his pistols and speaks.

"General Krell, you are being relieved of duty." Fives moves to his left side while I move to his right.

"It's treason then." Krell notes, his voice calm and almost gleeful.

"Surrender, General." Rex orders.

"You're committing mutiny, Captain." Krell states simply.

"Explain your actions!" Rex yells in response.

"My actions?" Krell questions, sarcastic confusion laced in his voice.

"For ordering your troops against one another!" Rex reiterates.

"Oh, that." Krell chuckles. "I'm surprised you figured it out, for a clone."

"Surrender, General. You're outnumbered!" Rex orders again, with Krell's response being to Force push all the men into the wall, while I countered his attack with a Force shield. I ignite my saber as he ignites both of his double-ended sabers, the pain visible on his face as he uses one of his broken arms.

"You dare to attack a Jedi?" He snarls.

"You, Pong Krell, are no Jedi." I retort, pointing my saber toward him.

"I will not be undermined by a child, nor creatures bred in some laboratory." Krell declares, slashing through the glass view-port and leaping down to the ground, where dozens of troops stood waiting.

"They won't last long, we need to get down there." I inform everyone, encouraging speed as we all pile back into the lift and head down.

As the doors open, injured and deceased troops greet us, sprawled on the floor in various states.

"Have the medics tend to the wounded. The rest of us can continue hunting Krell down. Send small squads of five to scour for him. As soon as you have a sighting, call it in and try to hold out until the rest of us get there." I order, taking 4 other troops with me as we move into the foliage.

With my saber alight, I lead the men in a sweeping pattern, our movements near silent. But it isn't enough to keep us hidden, as the first trooper is whisked away with a scream, putting the rest of us on alert. I bring my saber into a defensive Form III stance, elbows locked to conserve energy. Another scream, another lost.

"Rex, I think we found him. Mark my locators signal." I report through the comlink on my right wrist. A saber ignites and the bodies of the remaining troops collapse to the ground, helmeted heads rolling away. I don't have time to react, as Krell beats his blade against my own, pushing me back with his pure strength, before pushing me against a tree with the Force.

"A child. That is all you are, and all you will be as I end you." Krell declares, using the Force to bring my left arm, which still held the saber, towards my neck. With every ounce of strength I could muster, I pushed my arm to keep it away, bones audibly cracking and snapping as the opposite forces pushed.

I feel no pain, the adrenaline of fighting for my life numbing my nerves as I continue to push, but my lower arm begins to deform, skin sinking inward to the bone, the muscles tearing apart slowly. Loose pieces of flesh falling to the ground.

Something inside me clicks, or unlocks, I don't really know how to explain it, but as though a self defence mechanism activated, a wave of energy burst out of the mangled arm, disintegrating the remains, along with the lightsaber still within its clutches, before advancing toward Krell and sending him into a tree of his own, the force of impact not only knocking the Besalisk out, but felling the tree as well.

The grip no longer holding me, I slump at the base of the tree that had been my prison. I glance at the stump of an elbow that signalled the end of my left arm. It was scorched, as though set on fire and left to burn, far from a clean amputation. The sound of rushing footsteps take my attention, as Rex and a few hundred men arrive, their gaze swapping between me, the headless corpses, and the unconscious Krell.

"You're a bit late to the party." I rasp out, my throat dry. The words bring everyone back to the moment, and several troops cuff Krell, and begin to carry his form back to base. I move to stand, but Rex, Kix and Fives push me back down.

"You aren't going anywhere except the med-bay, escorted by Kix." Rex orders firmly.

"Only once Krell has been dealt with, will I go to the med-bay, Rex. We've all lost enough to allow him a chance of escape." I defy, standing up once more, my eyes catching a glint of blue light on the ground. I call the object to my hand,noting the visible crack that adorned the crystal that was once held within the lightsaber.

"But this is where the report ends, and it is the same for every other report about the incident on Umbara." Mace Windu states, the Council room was mainly empty, save for Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Mace and Yoda.

"What would you have me do? State in bold writing that I executed a Jedi General, when there is effectively no proof of his deeds? No one will believe that the 501st and 212th were pit against each other." I retort with distaste. My arm had been replaced with a prosthetic on the way back to Coruscant, but I still had months of therapy to get used to it, and to help with the phantom pains, all given as an apology for what happened under the watch of the Jedi.

"He has a point. The Republic doesn't care about the men who fight and die to ensure their safety. They would even accuse Vex of being the traitor, rather than Krell." Anakin adds, his anger burning bright in the air.

"Calm down, Anakin. We wouldn't let that happen." Obi-Wan assures, only for me to scoff.

"You, personally, wouldn't, but you work on a Council, where majority rules most times, meaning that all the Jedi who would rather this be covered up, would let me take punishment, likely death, instead of admit one of their own turned." I grit my teeth.

"Right, he is." Yoda admits with a sigh, his ears drooping in sadness and guilt. "But tell us, anything he said of importance, is there?" I still, his voice echoing in my mind moments before a gunned him down.

"'I have seen things. The Jedi order will fall, and a new order shall rise, with me in it.' Those are the last words he ever spoke." I answer, before leaving the now silent Council Chamber. But I knew, in my heart, and through the Force, that this would be the last time I ever spoke with Council. Next time, I will be gone before the realise it.

**A/N - Umbara still sucks in my story… And I mean my writing of it and plan with it… it just sucks… Oh well, I at least got the important parts across to my knowledge. Take care.**


	24. Ahsoka, No Longer a Jedi

As the Temple alarms blare, I rush to where the explosion originated, one of the in-built hangers. The doorway stood tall, electronics unresponsive, barring entry and exit to all. In haste, I rip the doors open with my mechanical limb, not even thinking to use the Force instead.

Inside, bodies lay scattered and sprawled, some missing limbs, others with severe burns, but most dominantly, the dead lay in sight. The scene was enough to have me frozen on the spot. Don't get me wrong, I've seen IED aftermaths, even been witness to an IED detonation. I've seen executions, mass murders, some of the darkest things possible, but nothing seems to come close to this. Medics, police, fire-fighters, all passed by me, immediately getting to work.

"_Everything, is about to change."_

The voice snaps me out of my frozen state, and I storm toward the Council Chambers.

As the doors part, the entire Jedi Council turns and faces me, as do the holographic forms of Anakin and Ahsoka, who seem surprised to see me. Since the incident of Umbara, I had been cooped up inside the Jedi Temple, undergoing Physical Therapy for my new limb, along with the fact I was deemed unfit for battle.

"What the fuck happened?" I ask, my voice shaking, my hands balled into fists by my side. "And how the fuck did it successfully occur?"

"We don't know." Windu replies with a tired sigh.

"Do we even have any ideas as to who did it?" I ask, my voice quieter, yet as strong as steel. Eyes dart towards both Windu and Yoda, a voiceless question directed at them both.

"A Jedi, we feel, has done this." Yoda admits, his ears drooping lower than I had ever seen, his pain hidden in the Force, but not in his posture. I turn my attention to the silent holographic forms in the middle of the room.

"And the only two you can spare to investigate, are Anakin and Ahsoka." I begin. "Whom haven't been back to the Temple for months."

"That is the plan, anyway." Anakin finally speaks, his voice slightly distorted. "We should be there in three days. Until then." The hologram fizzles out, and I turn my gaze toward Yoda.

"If a Jedi really did this, you should immediately place the Temple on lock-down. No Jedi, except Anakin and Ahsoka, should be allowed to leave until the culprit is found." I advise gently, turning away and departing.

Once Anakin and Ahsoka arrive, the three of us immediately head towards the bombed hanger, the air heavy all around us. Yet walking through the wreckage was the worst part. The screams echoed in the air, along with all the pain, anger and betrayal. It was nauseating.

"Do you believe what they said, Master, that a Jedi could do this?" Ahsoka asks with doubt.

"Not every Jedi agrees with this war, Ahsoka. There are many political idealists among us." Anakin begins.

"But a traitor?" She cuts in.

"I'm afraid one can eventually become the other. Remember Count Dooku and General Krell? That's how they started too." Anakin finishes sadly.

"Only analysis and investigation will prove what is true or not." The droid in front of us states.

"Who are you?" Anakin asks curiously.

"I am Russo-ISC, Crime Scene Analyser for the Jedi. I will be working with you, your Padawan, and the other on this case. I was assigned by Master Windu." The droid explains.

"Why am I simply 'the other'?" I ask with fake hurt.

"Master Windu warned me not to use the name he called you by." Russo answers dully.

"Fair enough. But just call me Vex." I state simply.

"Alright, Russo. You and Ahsoka should begin the interviews." Anakin orders.

"I would rather interview the witnesses alone." Russo defies, though with good reason.

"Because of the rumours about a Jedi being behind the attack." I note.

"Indeed. There is ill will towards the Jedi at this." Russo agrees.

"I think you're over-exaggerating. There were Jedi killed in the blast along with everyone else. Take Ahsoka with you." Anakin re-states, and Russo relents, gesturing for Ahsoka to follow him. Once both of them are gone, I speak up.

"Something about this isn't right. If it was a bomb, the Jedi that were in here with the workers would have felt a warning in the Force." I admit.

"And the fact that the rumours of a Jedi doing this started way too quickly." Anakin adds.

"Could someone be trying to prove a point?" I wonder aloud.

"Maybe. But I don't know what point they could be attempting to prove by doing this." He notes.

Anakin and I walk through the door, coming face to face with Ahsoka and Russo, as they were about to leave the med-bay.

"Did you find anything?" Ahsoka asks us.

"Only that it had to be a hidden kind of bomb, otherwise the Jedi would have sensed it and tried to evacuate everyone before the detonation." I explain.

"What's worse, is the rumour about it being a Jedi is growing. I can feel the anger and confusion throughout the Jedi Temple." Anakin adds.

"Well, Russo and I have a lead. We are looking for one of the Temple workers, Jackar Bowmani." Ahsoka reports.

"One of the witnesses saw him in the area where the bomb exploded right before it happened, and we have not been able to find him anywhere." Russo adds.

"Come on, nobody just disappears." Anakin scoffs.

"Unless, it was well planned out." Russo retorts.

"Which I believe it was. None of the Jedi could sense the danger, and people died because of that." I note.

"True. I'll talk to security." Anakin assures, taking the holo-image of the suspect and leaving the three of us alone.

"Russo, I want you to scan the bomb zone. The only thing that I know of which could pass through without any Jedi noticing are Nano-droids, as they are practically invisible to everything until activated." I explain to the detective.

"Hmm. I see the logic in that assessment. I will go do that now." Russo immediately moves off to do more scanning.

Anakin had called me to join him, once taking Jackar's wife, Letta, into custody to ask some questions. As we walked to the interrogation room, Barriss Offee brushes past my shoulder.

'_The only thing the Jedi Council believes in, is violence."_

"Vex, you alright?" Anakin asks, noticing that I zoned out.

"Yeah, just a sudden headache." I lie, knowing that Anakin would see through it, but not Letta. After frowning for a moment, he drops the subject suddenly, and takes Letta into the room, leaving me outside to think on what I just saw.

Even if I could act on it, no-one would believe me. At least not high up anyway. Barriss has no evidence towards her involvement. I have to let her plan play out.

How could I have been so stupid. I rush down the halls, trying to feel for Ahsoka's presence. Of course she would frame someone she knew so well. Why was I so god-damn blind? Left, right, right, left, right, left, left, out. There. Upon one of the large statues, Ahsoka hid within the shadows the best she could.

_Ahsoka_

She turns and looks me in the eyes, her fear, pain, determination, all written across her face, her eyes watering.

_Go. Prove your innocence._

She smiles sadly, before a squadron of troopers find her, aiming their blasters at her figure. Without needing to think, I push them all back with a wave of energy, toppling them down like dominoes.

_Thank you._

_I love you, Ahsoka._

_I love you too, Vex._

As she disappears, I breathe a sigh of relief. She will live to fight another day. While Anakin and I will continue to 'look' for the perpetrator.

"Enter." Barriss' voice calls to us, and with the permission, Anakin and I enter her room. Her hair was out, the short, spiky hair reminded me of Anakin in some ways.

"Barriss, we need to talk to you." Anakin states calmly, while I call Barriss' lightsaber to my hands and pretend to inspect it.

"Master Skywalker, Vex, how can I help you?" She asks us, her voice failing to hide the surprise.

"You were in contact with Ahsoka while she was on the run." I note. "What did you say to her?"

"That we've been friends for a long time, and that I was trying to help her. I hope I'm not in any trouble." She has a good acting voice, but it was the only thing she could fake. Her body was faintly trembling and sweat was beginning to form.

"Oh, no trouble. I just need to know what you told her and if you told anyone else." Anakin explains. The two of us slowly advance on her, and she slowly backs away to a vase by the door.

"No, I thought I had a clue for her, but I really couldn't tell her anything. Who told you I spoke to her?" She asks sweetly.

"Ventress." Anakin answers darkly.

"Ventress? Isn't she the one Ahsoka thinks is behind all this?" Barriss questions with fake curiosity.

"That's what Ahsoka says, but I think she's wrong. Ventress thinks someone else is involved." Anakin explains.

"And you believe her?" She asks. "Who else could it be if not her? Surely not Ahsoka."

"No. I don't think it was Ahsoka either. I think both Ahsoka and Ventress are telling the truth…" He trails off, and I ignite Barriss' lightsaber.

"But there's only one way to find out." I finish, swinging her own saber against her, only to be blocked by two red blades, the curved hilts unmistakeable.

"Funny. Those belong to Ventress… You should have gotten rid of them." Anakin scolds in sarcasm as he ignites his own saber.

"I think they suit me." She replies with a sick smile. As she pushes me away, she attacks Anakin, striking at him with the same Form V that he uses. As she continues to strike, it becomes obvious that Anakin was barely containing his emotions.

As they lock blades once more, I strike to sever her hands, only for her to release one saber from the lock and block my attack.

"Ahsoka trusted you! And you betrayed her!" Anakin accuses with righteous fury, as we push her back and out of the room.

"I've learned that trust is overrated. The-" I cut her off, finishing her words for her.

"Only thing the Jedi Council believes in, is violence." My voice is light, a faint smile on my face. "When you brushed against me as we brought in Letta, that very sentence echoed through my mind, with your voice."

"Then why didn't you stop me? Did you want your precious girlfriend to suffer?" She questions with a grin, her voice sweet and painful.

"Oh, you know damn well that I couldn't bring you in without evidence." I snarl. "But you made mistakes. You got too cocky." I strike again, and she blocks. Anakin strikes, and she blocks. We both strike, she blocks, and pushes us both back, and attempts to run down the hall, only for two Temple Guards to appear.

"CEASE HOSTILITY!" They call as they ignited their dual bladed yellow sabers. She tries the other end, only for the same to occur. With no other choice, she slashes through the window and leaps outside.

"Barriss!" Anakin and I call in sync, both leaping out the window ourselves. On a ledge, we continue to duel, with Barriss successfully blocking our blows, though she begins to tire. With desperation, she kicks Anakin down the ledge, towards the group of younglings who were training with their new sabers. I attempt to strike, but she leaps down after Anakin.

"Look out!" Petro warns him, as she attempts to bisect him, only for his blade to ignite and block her blow, pushing her away before engaging in a saber lock with one saber. She moves to strike with her free weapon, only for Anakin to grip her wrist with his mechanical hand, breaking the bones in her wrist, forcing her to drop the saber. I leap down as they hold in the lock. As Anakin pushes her back, I toss her saber at her, the blade slicing through her hands, before the saber is called back to my hand. Anakin grips her with the Force and holds her against a tree, while I call both of Ventress' sabers to my belt, before crushing the internal mechanics of her Jedi saber.

As we entered the Senate chambers, Ahsoka is about to be given her sentence, until our interruption halts it.

"Chancellor." Anakin and I greet with seriousness.

"I hope you have a reason for bursting into our proceedings, Master Skywalker, Vex." Chancellor Palpatine warns subtly.

"We're here with evidence and a confession from the person responsible for all the crimes Ahsoka has been accused of." I explain.

"Barriss Offee, member of the Jedi Order, and traitor." Anakin adds, as we move to the side to show her in arm cuffs… considering she had no hands for handcuffs anymore.

"Barriss, is that true?" Ahsoka asks, her face contorting in shock, betrayal and pain.

"Tell them the truth." I order Barriss, who is shoved forward to speak.

"I did it because I've come to realise what many of the people in this Republic have realise. The Jedi are responsible for this war. We've so lost our way that we have become villains in this conflict. We are the ones who should be put on trial, all of us. My attack on the temple was an attack on what the Jedi have become, an army fighting for the Dark Side, fallen from the light that we once held so dear." She says.

"And yet by doing so, you have become the very thing that you accuse the Jedi of. You did not fight to restore peace, you fought to deceive, to betray, to kill for no reason." I retort with a snarl.

"Take her away." Palpatine orders, nodding his head to Anakin and I, before dismissing the Senate Court. Knowing how Ahsoka felt, I wait by the entrance of the Temple, as she and Anakin enter to speak with the council. As she steps out a good half an hour later, with tears streaming down her cheeks, I immediately bring her into a hug.

"It's alright, 'Soka. It's alright." I say. "I'm always here for you."

"I know." She sobs. Anakin walks up to us, pain written across his face.

"I'm so sorry, Ahsoka." He apologises, his own tears falling. She turns and swiftly embraces him.

"It's not your fault, Master. You did all you could, and stopped my execution." She assures between sobs. "But I have to leave. If the Council didn't trust me, how can I trust myself?"

"Even though I believed in you?" Anakin asks quietly.

"You, Master Plo, and Vex are the only ones to believe in me. It's painful that no one else did, after everything." She explains.

"I still think you are making a mistake by leaving." He notes.

"Maybe. But I need to sort this out. Without the Jedi, and without the Council." She states.

"I understand. More than you realise, I understand wanting to walk away from the Order." He admits, letting his sister, his Padawan, go.

"I know." Ahsoka assures, while I nod my head to say I did as well. "Vex will be with me. I'll be alright."

"And if something really bad happens, know that I will contact you, Anakin." I add.

"Thank you. And may the Force be with you." He bid us goodbye.

"And with you." Ahsoka and I respond, walking down the steps together, my arm embracing her. All of us shed tears this day. All for the same reasons. Our family was falling apart.

**A/N - The amount of possibilities is still mind-blowing, but the issue is finding the right way to express them. This isn't the way I wanted to change it, as there is more I want to do, but I would like to get the next arc done, with the new episodes out.**


	25. Gone without a Trace

Ahsoka and I stand in an old speeder shop, and not a good quality one either. Ahsoka was planning to go down to the Coruscant Underworld, to try and figure out her inner demons. To the normal person, this would make no sense. But the Force works in mysterious ways. And right now, it was telling me something else.

"Ahsoka." I call gently. "As much as I want to, I don't think I can join you."

"And why not?" She asks, her brow raised.

"You wish to discover yourself. And to be honest, I wish to do the same. The blanks in my memory, the questions I have, they won't be given here. I have my own journey to take, just as you do." I explain.

"Alright." She sighs. "But keep in touch. You seem to get into trouble wherever you go."

"Deal." I chuckle, bringing her into an embrace. "If either of us needs assistance, contact the other. Otherwise, we will be on our own." I kiss her on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too." She responds, kissing me in return. I take my leave, almost immediately opening a channel to Rex.

"Captain Rex here." His gruff voice answers the ping.

"Rex, I need a ship." I state bluntly.

"Of all the things…" Rex begins, only for another voice to join in.

"I take it you are talking with Vex?" Anakin asks knowingly.

"Of course he is, Anakin." I answer without hesitation. "I can't exactly contact you directly without causing issues. So Rex is the middle man." I smile deviously.

"I didn't agree to that." Rex argues.

"Relax. It's not going to be a common occurrence. I just need a ship right now, nothing else." I assure. "I shouldnt be needing to contact or ask for anything else for a while."

"Well, the Archangel is still here. No one's been allowed near it." Anakin admits sheepishly.

"I imagine you had something to do with that, Anakin." I accuse him. "But it would be great if you could drop her off at the Spaceport. I'll make my way there now."

"Good luck." Rex abides, the channel disconnecting.

Within the docking bay, The Archangel stood silently, the sleek body a sight of beauty. As I enter the cockpit, activating the engines and computers, the familiar hum of energy sends tingles down my spine.

**[Been a while]** The built in astromech greets. **[Got a destination? Or are we going to wing it?]**

"Not sure, Angel. But do you have a list of outer-rim worlds unaffected by the war?" I ask.

**[List is on the console]** As the console flares with life, I depart the docking bay, making my way out of the atmosphere. Once out of traffic, I scan through the list of planets, most being part of Hutt Space, and not a place I would find answers. But there was one planet that stood away from Hutt controlled space, and was still untouched by the war.

"Lothal. Interesting. Angel, is there a Jedi Temple on Lothal?" I ask, the Force urging me to look deeper.

**[Not to current knowledge. There may still be a Temple, but likely one forgotten to time]**

"Hmm." The whispers were joining with the tug of the Force. "Set a course for Lothal and jump us to Hyperspace." Within moments, the veil of space is torn asunder by the streaks of hyperspace. Time was all that remained for the journey.

As I dock the Archangel in the space port of Lothal City, I stretch out with the Force, feeling for anything that could help me find the answers I seek. I feel for the animals nearby, for the people walking through the streets, for the faint song of kyber deep below the planet surface. After returning my senses, I jump out of the cockpit.

"Angel, lock up. Keep an eye on the comm channel Ahsoka and I use, inform me of anything that happens." I state.

**[Acknowledged]** The canopy closes, an audible click sounding in accordance. I walk away from the spaceport, immediately blending in with the crowds, watching how the people interacted with each other. Everyone was kind to one another, helping when possible. It was a rare sight to see

**Alright. I'm having some issues with wording this chapter, and it's got me really peeved. So lemme just give you a basic run-down:**

**Vex meets Mira and Ephraim Bridger, who lend him a roof to stay under for a night.**

**That night, Vex has a dream/vision/memory, and feels a pull towards a rock structure, which is actually the Lothal Temple. Unlike normality, he is able to gain access on his own.**

**While inside, he finds an old mural, one that is connected to his origins. It explains the story of the 13 Reapers, also known as the apostles of the apocalypse, but goes into more detail about the 13****th**** member specifically, the Author. His power was to bring his stories to life, to the point where, at his own sacrifice, he could restart the universe.**

**As he wanders further, he finds an old Holocron, but neither Sith nor Jedi, but one that used a hollowed out Null Pyramid. This Holocron holds journal entries, and moments from a Jedi called Ven Zallow, who was killed during the Sacking of Coruscant. If you read my other variations and attempts at these stories, you might remember/note that Ven Zallow is actually Vex, but more about that will be explained another time. Underneath the Holocron, was a small chamber that held a single yellow Kyber Crystal. He takes it.**

**As he exits the temple, with the structure returning to it's original position, his comm chimes, and Ahsoka calls for his help on Mandalore.**

**This whole part is difficult to word because I don't have a basis. The way I work and write, is by editing an existing item/story, and changing it, improving it in my own eyes. So this is something new and difficult for me to do. I do apologise that this wont be a complete chapter yet, but it will get there. Take care.**


	26. Siege of Mandalore

**Alright. So I'm taking an idea from Classic Mecraphone, and will be doing a full outline of how the chapters currently unwritten will go. This will be the second one, as the previous chapter is technically the first in this form.**

**I know not everyone will be happy with this, but before this, I have been writing these chapters out of boredom, curiosity, creativity born from boredom, and thinking about things. There was no basis other than each corresponding Clone Wars Episode. This new plan should help me with keeping the themes and times together, rather than how bloody sporadic they have been. Anyway, take care.**

**The siege of Mandalore will mostly go the same as in the episodes, but Vex doesn't have any saber, thus will be joining in the battle against Maul's forces, trusting in Ahsoka to deal with Maul herself.**

**As the Archangel is in hyperspace, Vex opens the 'Null Holocron' as he decided to name it, finding a message kept within the outer layers of storage. A hologram of a man in ancient Jedi Armour appears. His name is recorded as Ven Zallow.**

"_If you are hearing this, then welcome to purgatory. Assuming you are still alive, then have fun digging through all the information I have on this realm, and little ways to bypass the Null and it's properties."_

**The holograms message ends, and moments later, Vex returns to realspace, and docks in the hanger of the Venator. He meets up with Ahsoka, and they embrace, before heading off to meet Anakin and Obi-Wan.**

**After Rex is promoted and the 332****nd**** troops are ready, we take the Venator into hyperspace, heading for Mandalore.**

**The point that things will change, is when Order 66 occurs. Having a gun with a stun setting will help keep the 'chipped' troopers off their back without much harm, with the fall being all they should be sore from.**

**Rex will be stunned after he fires, followed by the other troops in the area. Ahsoka will cut through the top of the holo-projector rather than use deflected blaster bolts, and makes her way to a safe area to look up Fives as Rex tried to warn, while I begin to take Rex, by carrying him, towards the medical wing, either staying out of sight, being considered a Jedi though never being one in reality, or stunning those he could not sneak past, such as Jesse when he would come through to the bridge.**

**Note, that Vex has previously looked into Fives' death in secret, having gotten Rex to send him all records of what happened, including his own report. Maul will still be released, the ship will still crash, but while Rex and Ahsoka take the Y-Wing, Vex will get the Archangel and land with them after the crash and help bury the dead.**

**Rex is dropped off somewhere that will not be specified, as he will have to go find Wolffe and Gregor, while Ahsoka and Vex will head to Lothal for the first two years. They would secretly watch over the Bridger family, until they both follow the call of the Force, which has them gone for over 7 years, before eventually Vex returns to Lothal, only to find the Bridger parents gone, and Ezra on the streets.**

**The epilogue will be an injured Ezra being carried to an old, abandoned communication tower, Vex taking him inside, patching him up, and leaving a comlink on the desk nearby with a note.**

'_You don't know me, but I know you. I wasn't here to protect your parents, and for that, I am truly sorry. But I will do what I can to keep you alive. If you need help, activate the comlink, or press the emergency button. I'll be there in no time.'_

'_Signed - Fulcrum'_


	27. Spark of Rebellion summary

**It's kinda funny to be tearing down a large chunk of writing just to replace it with a summary. I think I'm losing my mind. Will leave the actual chapter in place, but this is how it should go when I am finished rewriting.**

**The beginning will be similar to the original, where it gives a brief outline that Vex has been doing a piss poor job of watching over Ezra, and staying away when he should have been by his side to help. But you have to understand, I don't want to change the way Ezra is in canon, because then it will throw things astray. Maybe one day I will, but not for now.**

**Vex will be in the markets, simply watching and listening to the events around him, until he notices Ezra stealing an imperial comlink and using it to divert two incompetent officers. As Ezra departs to a roof, Vex walks over to the vendor that Ezra had just taken several Jogan fruit from. As he asks who that 'kid' is, Vex replies with 'It's better to not ask', as he hands him enough credits to have purchased the fruit Ezra took. 'This is his payment.'**

**As he is about to walk away, an explosion takes his notice, and he dashes to the scene where the imperials are attacks by a small band of rebels, who begin to steal the crates, before Ezra jumps down and takes a speeder with two crates. Things go as usual from here, but with Vex finding and stealing a speeder of his own to go after Ezra.**

**When he catches up, he is met with blaster fire at the same time as Kanan, and is thrown of the speeder. (Rentals aren't cheap :D) In an act of kindness, Kanan helps him up, while Ezra speeds away.**

**Vex asks Kanan for a lift, which he begrudgingly allows, and the rest goes as usual. Ezra has his scuffle aboard the Ghost, while Vex simply watches in amusement. After they jump to hyperspace, and have a chat, they return to Lothal to make the deal with Vizago and hand out food to the poor. When everyone returns, Ezra asks to be taken home, but is told that he can't until the job is done, and that they were headed for a freighter which held Wookie slaves.**

**The mission goes awry like usual, but Vex was with the team due to not wanting to leave two unknowns on the ship for fear of screwing them over. Ezra rushes around the corner screaming 'ITS A TRAP' and everyone runs to the ghost. Vex is shoved in first, followed by everyone else except Ezra, who is held by an ISB Agent, Zeb closes the door and they jump into hyperspace, at which point, Vex feels the lack of Ezra's presence in the Force.**

**He marches to the others, demanding to know where Ezra is, at which point Zeb looks down in shame, everyone noticing, and calling him out, to which he reveals what happened. Vex chills the entire room with his anger, until Kanan places a hand on his shoulder and reassures that they will rescue him. Which they do, with Vex using his pistol effectively against the Stormtroopers and then they fly off, when Ezra tells the true location of the Wookies after over hearing chatter.**

**They arrive at Kessel, free the Wookies, get ambushed, and do a 22 pick-up where Kanan shows his Jedi nature, wields a lightsaber, and Vex chases after Ezra, pushing the agent off the rails when the chance is available, and they all fly off safe and sound.**

**When the arrive back on Lothal, Ezra hands the Holocron to Kanan, while having not closed it properly, thus showing his Force Sensitivity. Kanan then asks Vex why he never bothered to train Ezra, being answered with the fact he is no Jedi, and his teachings would bring more harm than good. It ends with Ezra returning Kanan's lightsaber. The End.**

**And now, I gotta work on doing this for every other chapter… This will take a while.**


	28. Spark Of Rebellion

Seventeen years since the fall of the Jedi Order… since Anakin's fall… since the Empire replaced the Republic. Ahsoka and I had split up to collect parts few new lightsabers along the way, before meeting back up on Lothal. When she had returned, she told me of her new role in the Rebellion as Fulcrum, and how she had travelled around in hiding, killed an Inquisitor, and purified the crystals that Inquisitor used. While we knew that the Rebellion would eventually take us away from each other, there was nothing we could do about it, as this Rebellion was going to be the key to bringing peace back to the galaxy. Four years ago, Ahsoka had to leave Lothal and help out more actively for the Rebellion. It hurt both of us to be apart, but we knew that we would see each other again. We kept in contact as much as possible, but we missed the intimacies we had together in person… The warmth of each other. While she had gone, I had discovered a Force Sensitive child, Ezra, as the locals had told me. I took it upon myself to make sure he was off Imperial radar.

While I acted as a resident of the town for the first several years, it changed when the Empire took control of the planet. I had become more withdrawn in the eyes of the townspeople, but in reality, I was simply staying in the shadows. In the years that Lothal had been free from Imperial clutches, Ahsoka and I had trained. With the knowledge of the Sith being in control, we made sure we were on top of our game. If we weren't sparring, we were expanding our knowledge of the Force, through trial and error, as the first Force Sensitives would have done themselves. One of the abilities I had discovered, was shadow walking. I could conceal myself from view, as long as there was darkness in sight. I would conceal myself with this power on a daily basis to increase my efficiency of it.

Today, however, the Force seemed more alive than normal. It felt more energised, more empowering… Having already been in town, hidden within the shadows, I began to watch and wait for things to unfurl around me. In the corner of my eye, I spot Ezra, jumping up to the rooftop of one of the many buildings covering the main city. Using the Force, and keeping myself hidden, but in a different way, more to do with light refraction, I jump up to the same rooftop. I hear him speak, but likely about something I hadn't witnessed.

"Almost feel bad for them. Almost." He says, and then stops. His sight is drawn to a specific point. I turn my own gaze to where he is looking. One person stands out, a man wearing a green shoulder pad on his right side, adorned with the face of a creature I had not seen. Ezra swiftly ducks out of sight, as the man looks to the roof. "That was weird." Ezra mumbles. After a few moments, he pokes his head back up and continues to observe. The man walked by what looked like a Lasat, partially hidden in the shadows of an alleyway. The Lasat then moved, methodically, likely having been signalled by the man. "Interesting." Ezra notes with intrigue. The man continued to a Mandalorian, and this time we could visibly see him tap his holster. The Mandalorian returns the signal, before walking casually over to the Imperial speeders with crates magnetically attached to them, and threw a thermal detonator on an empty speeder. As the driver tries to stop them, the speeder erupts into a bright explosion. As the Imperials frantically send the speeders away, I could feel Ezra smirk. He waits for his moment, where the man blocks the speeders path, and jumps down, hijacking one of the speeders and leaves. Deciding this might be the moment I act, I race off to where I had hidden the now modified Z95 that Rex had given to me nearly two decades ago.

As I approach the hidden cave, I mentally stop cloaking myself. My body seemingly phasing into existence. I place the palm of my hand on the large rock formation, and activate the Force Sensitive mechanism. While on planet, I had done some exploration with the Force as my guide. The result was the discovery of not only this hidden cave, but an old Jedi Temple. The rock formation seemingly split in two, revealing the sleek ship. The canopy was open in wait, and I jumped in, the familiar controls easing some of my nerves. With the flip of several switches, the engines purred to life. Grasping the joysticks situated on either side, I gain some altitude, putting distance between the fighter and the cave. As I move further away, I can faintly feel as the cave closes, returning it to its hidden state. Making my way to the city, several TIE Fighters enter my vision, along with a small freighter, taking fire from the Imperials. The targeting system locked on to one of the TIE Fighters already, its increased range proving its use. Seconds passed as I closed in, fingers on the joystick trigger, until the computer beeped, signalling that I was in range. Three bursts emit from the wing mounted plasma cannons, the projectiles tearing through the air, impacting the target within moments. The TIE Fighter, spirals beyond the city, crashing into one of many rock formations that littered the entire planet. Two of the three remaining TIE Fighters changed course, now gunning for me. The systems had already locked on to the next target, giving me the freedom to open fire on it before it could do the same to me. As the Plasma blasts collided with the fighter, it burst into flames, the remaining wreckage being disintegrated by the plasma-enhanced heat. The remaining TIE entered weapons range and opened fire. With Force-Enhanced reflexes, I angled the ship by 90 degrees, the laser fire passing by harmlessly. Once more, the systems locked onto the fighter, but instead of firing the plasma cannons, I unleash a single plasma missile. The missile corrects its trajectory automatically, and impacts the TIE, vaporising it. The inbuilt comlink crackles as the freighter opens a channel.

"Starbird to unidentified fighter. Thanks for the assist, but why?" A female voice asks through the comlink.

"Archangel to Starbird… If that is the real name of the freighter… If I am guessing correctly, you are about to go pick up a kid, or already have… I'm simply making sure that both he and you, live to fight another day." I respond, before cutting the link. With my work in atmosphere being done, I increase throttle and make for space. A while back, I had planted a tracker on Ezra. A few years ago, a gang that roamed the alleys of Lothal's cities had injured him pretty badly. After the gang left him for dead, I appeared and helped him. After using the Force to heal him enough to keep him alive, and swiftly injecting the tracker using a stim-pack, I carried him back to the old communications tower that he called home. This meant that I could track where he was, if the need arises… that is, if no one scans him and discovers it… but that can be worried about at another time.

Above orbit was clear, and the on-board scanners indicated as the freighter entered hyperspace. The tracker would be inert for now, but as soon as they returned to real space, I would know where they are.

The tracking systems begin to beep, as the tracker comes online. Only for it to be back here, in orbit of Lothal… as in not that far from where I currently was. The freighter visually appears not far to my right, before making its way back into the atmosphere. Deciding to follow, I pilot down to the atmosphere, following the trackers signal… to Tarkin Town… I descend the fighter to the ground, landing a good klick away from the small town, shutting off the engines and opening the canopy. Jumping out, I ponder on whether it would be worth taking the pieces of the lightsaber I had come to call my own over the years. The Force whispers in reasoning, and with a quick movement, I pocket the pieces. As I manually close the canopy, locking the fighter from others who might try to take it for themselves. I still had my blaster pistols, at least, so I would be able to defend myself if need be without resulting in using a lightsaber.

The freighter appears into view, already landed, the ramp lowered. I make my way to the freighter and inspect the armour plating. Scorch marks were visible along the hull, with some half hidden by paint jobs. Before I could continue further along the hull, the sensation of a blaster against my back caught my attention.

"Was wondering how long it would take for someone to see me." I comment, slowly raising my hands above my head.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" A feminine voice asks.

"For the first question, you can call me Archangel, for now. Call sign of my ship. The second question, the kid." I answer.

"And how do you know of the kid?" She asks.

"Because I've been watching over him for most of his life. Kept Imperial eyes away where I could, made sure he didn't bite more than he could chew." I explain. Reaching out with the Force, I create an image of what is behind me. A sort of sonar image… but with more detail The Mandalorian I had seen earlier was the one holding me at gunpoint. "How are your reflexes?" I ask out of nowhere.

"More than what you have." She counters. Accepting the challenge, I duck low and swipe at her legs, while turning around and holding the palm of my hand to where she would likely be if she dodged the swipe. Predictably, she dodges the swipe, and lands right where my palm lay in wait. With a swift thrust, I push her back a few meters.

"Unfortunately, I have to disagree. But they are not too bad." I note, lowering my hands and standing up straight. Ezra rushes around to where we are, halting in his step at the sight of me. "Been a long time, kid." I greet. While he doesn't reply straight away, I could feel the Force swell within him.

"I feel like I know you…" He says, confused and unsure.

"It would have felt like a bad dream when you saw me. The gang bashed you up pretty badly." I admit.

"I remember parts of it… but it's… fuzzy." Ezra says. The Mandalorian looks between the two of us, unsure of what we were talking about.

"I can give you a better explanation later." I dismiss the continuation of the topic, as two more figures come into view… The man from before, and a green skinned Twilek. On closer inspection, the man seemed to resemble a young padawan that I had met during one of my expeditions to the Jedi Temple. At the sight of me, he moves to draw his blaster, only for it to fly to my now outstretched hand. "Not fast enough. Not as you are now at least, kid." I say to him.

"Who are you?" He asks.

"For now, Archangel. You'll figure out my real name yourself. We have met before, after all." I answer.

"So you were the one who took out those TIE's earlier?" The Twilek asks.

"Not too hard for anyone to take credit, considering how weak TIE fighters are. But yes, I did." I affirm.

"Well, we appreciate the help. But I thought the Jedi were dead?" She wonders.

"Not all of them. But I doubt any of them call themselves Jedi anymore." I explain. "And while I helped them during the war, I was never considered one of them."

"I see. But nonetheless, you're welcome to join us in the common room." She offers.

"I don't see why not." I note, and she leads all but Ezra to the common room. At least that was so, until the Lasat joins us. Most of the group, excluding the Twilek, continue to eye me, curiosity and caution evident in their posture and expression.

"I'm Hera. This is Kanan. The Lasat is Zeb, and the Mandalorian is Sabine." Hera introduces everyone to me.

"For now, you can call me Archangel. I want to see how long it takes Kanan to remember my name before everyone is told of it." I introduce. Kanan, frustrated, abruptly moves to business.

"Anyway, we have a new mission. Vizago acquired the flight plan for an imperial transport ship full of Wookiee prisoners. Most of these Wookiees were soldiers for the Old Republic."

"I owe those hairy beasts. They saved some of my people." The Lasat, Zeb, comments.

"Mine too." Hera adds.

"If we're going to save them, we've got a tight window. They've been taken to an unknown slave labour camp. If we don't intercept this ship, we'll never find them." Kanan adds. Ezra's presence takes my attention. It's flare coming from the ventilation ducts. Discreetly using the Force, I unscrew the four screws that attached the vent, keeping them hovering in the air once removed. "Now, I have a plan, but…" Kanan continues, before he is cut off as Ezra falls from the vents and lands near the table, the screws floating into my open palm.

"I ordered Chopper to keep watch." Zeb comments in confusion. Said Astromech comes in whirring and beeping, moments too late to alert the crew of Ezra's escapade.

"He always has been sneaky. Though this is a new trick to my knowledge." I note.

"Can we please get rid of him?" The Lasat asks.

"No. We can't. Besides, the kid knows too much." Sabine says.

"We don't have time to take him home anyway. We need to move now." Kanan adds.

"I'll keep an eye on him." Hera assures.

"As will I." I add. As everyone moves off to prepare, I take Ezra and follow Hera to the cockpit. Ezra and I both take a seat, as we re-enter hyperspace after a change of coordinates.

As the blue streaks of hyperspace faded to the darkness of real space, the Force tensed in anticipation. Almost as though it had this moment planned for thousands of years and was waiting for it to occur. The Gozanti Freighter we were here for was in our line of sight, as it launched its fighter compliment.

"You know, this whole mission thing is nuts. I'm not against sticking it to the Empire, but there's no way I'd stick my neck out this far. Who does that?" Ezra states, unsure about how he should react in this kind of situation.

"We do." Hera answers. She opens a connection to the transport. "Imperial transport 651, this is Starbird coming inbound." She informs, using the codename that I had received to begin with.

"State your business." An Imperial officer, likely the one in command of the freighter, asks.

"Bounty. We captured an additional Wookiee prisoner and have transfer orders to place him with you." Hera explains the planned lie.

"We have no such orders." The Imperial states, the fighter compliment poised to attack us.

"That's fine. We already got paid by Governor Tarkin. If you don't want the oversized monong, I'll jettison here, let you explain to your superiors why the Empire has one less slave." She explains without a care in her voice. She had to have been doing this for a long time. After a short pause, the Imperial replies.

"Permission to dock. Bay 1." He says, and the connection is cut. As we dock, Kanan, Zeb and Sabine depart on the transport. After a few minutes pass, Hera tries to contact the team, breaking radio silence.

"Spectre-1, come in." She calls, but with no response. "Spectre-4? Spectre-5?" She calls to the other, but still no reply.

"We're being jammed." I deduct before Hera could state it. I look to see Ezra looking off into the distance.

"Something coming." He says ominously. Moments later, a Star Destroyer enters the space.

"Fuck. That's not good." I say. While we could out-manoeuvre or out-run it, a firefight was a different case entirely. We wouldn't stand a chance.

"The whole thing was a setup." Hera adds. "You need to board that transport and warn them." She says to me.

"I can't. The Imperials know my face, and it would put you all in too much danger." I state in apology. Unless they openly showed that they had a Jedi already with them, there was nothing I could really do in the open… At least not yet. "Ezra, you'll have to go."

"No. No way. Why would I risk my life for a bunch of strangers?" He asks.

"Because Kanan risked his for you. And I risked mine years ago for you. A life is worth nothing, if you only fight for yourself." I advise him.

"They need you Ezra, they need you right now." Hera urges.

"No. It's too late for them Hera. We should run now, while…"

"You don't mean that." Hera cuts him off.

"I do. I swear I do… Which is why I can't believe I'm doing this." He says, as he rushes off.

"I can." She assures him in spirit, as he was already too far away to hear. It isn't long before everyone is on board, that we know of. Hera detaches from the freighter. "We're out of here! Chop, jam their tractor beam!" Hera orders the astromech. The coms chime as the Imperials hail us.

"Attention, rebel ship. Surrender, or be destroyed. This is your first and last warning." The hologram of what looks to be an ISB agent says.

"Blow it out your exhaust vent, literally. Sabine." Hera answers, calling for Sabine to detonate the charges she had set on the freighter. The resulting explosion emits multiple different colours that aren't normal for explosions… intriguing me as to how they were made.

"Ah, I can't see it from here. How'd it look?" Sabine asks.

"Gorgeous, Sabine. As always." Kanan says. As we jump back into hyperspace, we all meet in the common room. As everyone takes a seat, I notice the absence of Ezra.

"Where's Ezra?" I ask.

"I, uh, thought he was with you." Zeb says sheepishly, gesturing to Kanan. Everyone turned to look at him, seeing through his lie.

"Zeb, what did you do to him?" Sabine asks, concerned.

"I didn't do anything to him. But that ISB agent grabbed him." Zeb admits.

"What?" I ask in shock and concern.

"The kid got grabbed, ok?!" He repeats in frustration.

"Garazeb Orrelios!" Hera scolds him.

"Oh, come on! We were dumping him after the mission anyway. This saves us fuel. They'll go easy on him. He's just a kid." Zeb argues, not understanding the severity of the situation.

"A FUCKING FORCE SENSITIVE KID, ZEB!" I shout, startling everyone. "If they find that out, he will be tortured, and either turned into the Empire's slave, or executed!"

"How can you be certain?" Kanan asks in a half lie. I knew that Ezra had a Holocron with him, one that he didn't have before arriving on the ship.

"No normal kid could leap onto the Ghost while carrying a fucking crate Kanan. And why would a Force sensitive be watching over him? Are you stupid?" I ask. I didn't mention the Holocron, knowing that Kanan likely wanted his Jedi heritage kept secret. "We have to get him."

"Alright." Kanan says. "We'll head back and pick him up. But we need to be fast. The Imperials are likely expecting us to go back for him." Hera rushes back to the cockpit, and the ship lurches twice, as we backtrack to the Imperial Star Destroyer. Before returning to real space, Hera activates the cloaking system, which would give us the chance to board the Capital Ship.

As we board the Star Destroyer and move to the entrance of a hallway, Ezra drops down the vent above us. Zeb attempts to punch him, thinking he was a Stormtrooper, quite foolishly, but I block his fist with a grunt.

"You need to think before you punch, Zeb." I say through grit teeth, as Ezra removes the stolen helmet from his head.

"First you ditch me, then you try and hit me?" Ezra asks incredulously.

"How was I supposed to know it was you? You were wearing a bucket!" Zeb argues.

"Enough. We don't have time for this. Get back on the ship." I growl, rushing the two of them onto the ship. Ezra tries to stay back and shoot at the troopers, but Zeb shoves Ezra on the Ghost, making sure he was on board.

"Oh no. This time you board first." Zeb grunts. As Kanan gets into the ship, he calls to Hera.

"Ghost, raise the ramp."

Ezra thanks the crew, as they all stood in the cockpit, before telling them what he overheard… About the Wookiees being sent to Kessel.

"Slaves sent there last a few months, maybe a year. And for Wookiees, born in the forest, it's a death sentence." Sabine says solemnly, explaining the reason everyone seemed upset by the news.

"Then I guess we better go save em." Ezra says.

"'We'?" Zeb asks in confusion.

"Come this far. Might as well finish the job." Ezra adds with a smile.

"Setting course for Kessel." Hera says with a hint of pride, inputting the coordinates and jumping us into hyperspace.

Having arrived at Kessel, Hera keeps the ship hovering, the engines kept running for the case of a quick escape. Our presence wasn't exactly welcome, as the Storm Troopers stationed begin to open fire on us. Kana, being a quick-draw shooter from the years of practise, unholsters and shoots his heavy pistol, hitting the leading trooper with dead accuracy. I take out my two DC-17 pistols and begin to fire shot after shot on the Storm Trooper contingent. While we keep the troopers busy, Ezra moves to the Wookiees and frees them. Before we could get them onto the ship, a Gozanti Freighter rises from the pits and fires on the Ghost, forcing it to move away. The alpha Wookiee looks over to another area of the platform and attempts to make his way there, only to be hit by a blaster bolt. Zeb makes his way over and helps him up.

"I can't maintain position!" Hera calls through the coms.

"Go! Lead the TIE's away while getting clear of that Freighter!" Kanan orders.

"I am not leaving you behind!" Hera defies. Kanan looks behind us to a cargo container, an idea forming in his mind.

"No, you're not. We're running a 22-Pickup." He orders.

"Seriously?" Sabine asks in irritation.

"You have a better option?" Kanan asks.

"Jump into the pit and get it over with?" Zeb offers sarcastically.

"All right. I'll be back. Make sure you're ready." Hera relents, and flies out of range.

"22-Pickup? Care to let me in on the secret?" Ezra asks.

"Kid, I'm about to let everyone in on the secret." Kana says, as he stands up and walks forward.

"Oh, no you don't, Caleb, not without me." I say quietly with a smile and also stand up and walk with him. The blaster fire seemingly slows down, making it easier for us to dodge. **(Not actually how the Force works, but it seems that way considering the Force warns of where an attack or danger is coming from or is going to hit.)** The agent orders the troops to cease fire, curious and intrigued at what we were doing. Kanan takes the two pieces of his lightsaber, while I call upon the Force to hover the pieces of my lightsaber in front of me, swiftly putting it all back together, my hand grasping the rebuilt hilt as Kanan connects the two parts of his lightsaber. The two of us ignite the azure blades in unison and bring the blades into a defensive position.

"All troopers, focus your fire on… on the Jedi!" The agent orders, shock and surprise evident in his entire being. As he ordered, all the troopers focused on the two of us, buying time for the others to get the Wookiees into the crate. While Kanan was visibly sloppy in his style, he could still deflect blaster bolts back to the troopers, as well as hold his own.

"Kanan, I think you inspired the kid into, well, doing something like you would do!" Zeb calls to us. The two of us falling back, I move into the container before the doors are closed. Kanan did not enter, likely planning to jump on top of the Ghost. Hera magnetically attaches the container, and pilots to where Ezra stood, the ISB Agent facing him with a gun. Quickly dispatching the agent, from what we could tell, Ezra jumped on board. Once both Force users were in the ship, Hera took us out of orbit and into hyperspace. Instead of staying with the Wookiees and the crew, I make my way to the rotating turret, where I sit down and open up a holo-image. Rex, Cody, Fives and Echo were there, with me in the back, my arms on the shoulders of Fives and Echo. The image was taken after they returned from ARC Trooper training… I just wish they were still here. Ezra's Force presence closed in on me, and I gathered my surroundings again. I guess I must have gotten lost in my thoughts, as we were back on Lothal once more. Ezra comes up beside me and notices the holo-image.

"Who are they?" He asks me.

"My brothers, in a way. We trained together, fought together, cried together… The only thing that didn't define us all as brothers was by blood." I explain, and turn of the holo-image. "But I take it you wanted to ask me something… what's on your mind?" I ask.

"Why? Why did you watch over me, yet do nothing to help my parents?" He asks in confusion and a hint of anger.

"Because it wasn't in my power. They were already taken by the time that I had learned of their capture. And while it may seem like I can, I alone cannot take on the whole Empire. I really am sorry, Ezra." I answer solemnly.

"It's okay." He sighs, and begins to walk away. I get up and walk with him to the ramp, where I stopped, while he continued off. Kanan walks up to me.

"Were you ever planning on teaching him?" He asks.

"I was never a Jedi to begin with, Caleb… Sorry, it's Kanan, now." I answer. "But you were. Maybe the Force called you here to train him. I won't ever teach unless it's my own flesh and blood, for I do not think any normal person would stay in balance like I have." I say. Kanan gestures for me to follow, and he leads me into his room, where he opens the Holocron, and lets the message play out.

"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order, and the Republic, have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning, and a reminder, for any surviving Jedi: Trust in the Force. Do not return to the Temple. That time has passed, and our future is uncertain. We will each be challenged our trust, our faith, our friendships. But we must persevere, and in time, a new hope will emerge. May the Force be with you, always." The message ends, and Kanan returns the Holocron to its original state. Ezra appears at the door, holding out Kanan's lightsaber for him to take back.

"That new hope begins with us." I say.

**A/N – Updated. I took a while in rewriting and editing this one, as I wanted it to be as perfect as possible… Almost like a standard that I would like to meet for each chapter… though it may not always be possible. One day, I will go through this again and add more, but for now, I think this is enough.**


	29. Rise Of The Old Masters

"Focus." Kanan instructs Ezra. The Master Padawan duo, along with Zeb, Chopper and I, were on the hull of the Ghost as it slowly moved through the cloud layer, while Ezra was training in the use of the Force… by doing a handstand on the moving ship. "Focus on letting go."

"Letting go? Rather hold on, if you don't mind." Ezra half jokes.

"Enough joking. Focus." Kanan scolds.

"I'm trying." Ezra argues, as he clearly is trying.

"Do or do not. There is not try." Kanan quotes Yoda's favourite phrase.

"What does that even mean? How can I do something if I don't try to do it?" Ezra asks in exasperation and confusion.

"Well, see…" Kanan cuts himself off with a sigh. "Actually, that one always confused me too. But Master Yoda used to say it a lot." He points out.

"I know what it means, but the student needs to learn it themselves, or the lesson is never truly taught." I inform the two of them, as Ezra returns to his feet.

"I really thought this Jedi stuff would be more interesting. No wonder the old religion died." Ezra comments.

"It's not that simple, Ezra." I explain. "The Jedi were forced to partake in a war, when they were supposed to be Peace Keepers. It blinded them to the true threat of the Sith. That is why the Order fell, not because their training is boring… which I do admit is true for the early stages."

"You know an awful lot, for claiming to not be a Jedi." Kanan notes in curiosity.

"Just because I'm no Jedi, doesn't mean I did not help them during the war, Kanan. But while I watched Jedi younglings train, I learned on the battlefield." I say to him.

"Come on, kid. Do something. Amuse me. 'Use the Force'" Zeb comments, bored. He throws a harmless projectile at Ezra.

"Whoa!" He says, moving out of the way of the thrown projectile. "Does he have to be here?" He asks.

"He's annoying, yes, but there will always be distractions. You need to learn to focus through them." Kanan explains. "Hmm. Let's try something else." He takes his lightsaber and hands it to Ezra.

"When do I get my own?" Ezra asks easily.

"A lightsaber makes not a Jedi." I say, replicating Yoda's way of speech. "Or any random thug who has one would be a Jedi, and wreak havoc on the galaxy." I then say in normal speech.

"Gets me closer though." Ezra points out, as he ignites the saber, its blade overly large for his use.

"Only because you have the Force." I counter.

"Careful! There's a control on the side that adjusts the length to your height." Kanan interrupts, and with that knowledge, Ezra shortens the blade. "Okay, now close your eyes." Kanan instructs, with Ezra following obediently. "Let him have it Chopper." Kanan then orders the astromech, the name causing me to wince. I still remembered the incident with Slick, the memories a plague of my mind. Ezra is then pummelled by trash pieces, as he fails to deflect them with the Force, nor Lightsaber. The onslaught soon sends him off balance and he begins to fall.

"Kanan! Get him!" I scold him in concern. Kanan calls upon the Force to bring him back up, as Hera drops altitude, and lowers the ramp for Zeb to bring Ezra safely back on board. Kanan makes his way to Ezra, with me in tow.

"You weren't focused." Kanan scolds Ezra.

"Tough to focus when I'm falling to my death." Ezra argues.

"You wouldn't have been falling to your death if you were focused." Kanan counters and sighs. "You're undisciplined and full of self-doubt."

"And whose fault is that, Master?" Ezra asks back in frustration.

"Enough. Clearly, you both need to take a break. Go." I order, taking command of the situation as the more experienced Force user here. Ezra moves off to the common room, Zeb, Kanan and I following soon after.

"You made the Holonet." Sabine says to Ezra and Zeb, referring to when they stole a TIE Fighter.

_Flashback  
"Spectre-4 to Ghost." Ezra's voice calls through the comlink. Hera, Kanan and I were wondering how long it would take them to realise they wouldn't be able to get Meilooruns._

"_Go ahead, Spectre-4" Hera replies._

"_Right. Well, we've had a bit of a problem." Ezra starts sheepishly._

"_I thought you might. Look, don't worry about the Meilooruns." Hera assures them. In the background, the whir of a TIE Fighter is barely audible… but not to me. A smile crosses my face at the possibilities._

"_Yeah, Meilooruns. Uh, we found some. But then we lost them. Then we found them again. But we smashed them" Ezra rambles._

"_Just cut to the chase, kid." Zeb urges him._

"_Wait! What am I hearing? It sounds like…" Kanan begins._

"_Yeah, about that. See, um, well, we stole a TIE Fighter." Ezra explains._

"_YOU WHAT?!" Kanan asks incredulously, while I burst into laughter._

"_He's taking it better than I thought." Zeb notes._

_Flashback End.  
_

The holo-news fizzles, before a different transmission plays out.

"Citizens, this is Senator-in-exile Gall Trayvis. I bring more news that the Empire doesn't want you to hear." An image of an older man appears. His face sparks a distant memory in my mind, but I cant put my finger on why that is the case.

"What's a Gall Trayvis?" Ezra asks.

"The only member of the Imperial Senate with the courage to speak out publicly against the Empire." Hera explains.

"One of the Republic's greatest Peacekeepers, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli, is alive!" The Senator exclaims. "She has been imprisoned unlawfully somewhere in the Stygeon system. As citizens, we demand the Emperor produce Master Unduli and grant her a fair trial…" The signal fizzles again as it returns to the Imperial News, before Sabine shuts off the Holonet. Kanan moves his hand to his chin in thought.

"This Luminara. You knew her?" Ezra asks.

"I met her. Once. She was a great Jedi Master. Brave, compassionate, disciplined. In fact, she'd make an excellent teacher for you." Kanan says, his words making Ezra looks down in sadness.

"There've always been rumours she survived the Clone Wars, but they never came with a specific location before." Hera adds.

"Something doesn't sit right with me on this one. I had it on good authority that she was killed. My source witnessed it." I explain. I had gotten in contact with other Wookiees who had been there during the execution of Order 66, and had heard things from their perspective. Apparently Quinlan Voss was still at large, as he survived the betrayal of his troopers, but nothing else is known about his whereabouts.

"Either way, we can't pass this up." Kanan explains.

"Was hoping you'd say that. I'll set a course for the Stygeon System." Hera says, already on her feet and heading to the cockpit.

"The rest of you, prep for an op." Kanan orders, and moves to join her. Ezra walks to Chopper and whispers to him before walking to the dorm that he shares with Zeb. Being already armoured up and prepared, I stay and wait, along with Sabine, who was also in her armour already.

"Who was your source about Luminara's death?" Sabine asks while the two of us were alone.

"Chewbacca. A Wookiee who saved not only my wife, but also a Jedi Master during the Clone Wars. I trust him with my life, and he trusts me with his. He says he was there to witness Luminara's execution. That is why I am worried about this mission." I explain.

"Well. I guess we will need a few miracles." Sabine notes, showing three thermal detonators in her hand.

"Should help." I note. Once the ship lurches into hyperspace, the crew gather around once more.

"Welcome to the Spire on Stygeon Prime. The only Imperial detainment facility in the Stygeon system." Hera welcomes, gesturing to the hologram of the structure.

"And it's impregnable." Sabine adds.

"That hasn't stopped us before." Kanan counters.

"Trust me, we have never faced anything like this. It's a real work of art." Sabine explains. "Blast proof, ray shielded, protected by anti-ship weapons, TIE fighters and short and long range scanners."

"We can fool the scanners." Hera writes off.

"Eh, maybe. But that just leaves an army of troopers and guard posts on all the walls." Sabine argues. "Look, even if we get into this beauty, the hard part's getting out. Cause, you know, it's a prison."

"What about going in low and sneaking onto this landing platform?" Ezra offers, pointing at the area he means.

"No. Heavy trooper presence and reinforced blast doors. Not a likely chance of getting in or out that way." Sabine denies.

"Here." Kanan says, pointing at an outcropping with an entrance. "There's only room for a couple guards. We take them down, make our way to the upper level isolation cells, free Luminara and came back out the way we came in."

"You'd have to be crazy to try that lousy plan." Zeb says.

"Let's hope the Empire thinks so too." Kanan adds. Once more the team disperses. I move to the cockpit with Hera, watching as the blue streaks of hyperspace fill the viewport. The view had become a way of calming my mind before battle after the time spent in the war. It usually eased my nerves, but for some reason, it didn't on this occasion. Within moments the blue returned to black, with the planet of Stygeon Prime directly in front of us.

Once inside the Spire, courtesy of Ezra's hacking skills, Kanan speaks up.

"Luminara's here. I sense her presence, but it's clouded." Kanan frowns.

"I only sense death and decay here, Kanan. This doesn't feel right." I warn, but he ignores me. Sabine accesses the terminal and searches through the archives.

"Where is Master Unduli?" Kanan asks her.

"Detention block CC-01. Isolation cell 0169." Sabine answers.

"They have isolation cells on the lower levels? We planned off outdated schematics." Kanan muses in concern.

"This is starting to remind me of the Citadel." I note. "We planned off outdated schematics then as well… It didn't end well."

"So we change the plan. Sabine, Zeb, you're coming along." Kanan orders.

"Weren't we supposed to hold our escape route here?" Zeb asks in confusion.

"Now the turbolift is our escape route." Kanan says, as we all squeeze in the lift.

"His plans get worse all the time." Sabine complains.

"Just hope he doesn't change it again." Zeb adds.

"I'm standing right here." Kanan reminds them.

"We know." Both Sabine and Zeb say simultaneously, their irritation evident. Kanan, Ezra and I move off to the location of Luminara's cell.

"Maintain com. silence, and whatever you do, hold this lift." Kanan orders as we leave Sabine and Zeb behind. As we turn down a corridor, two Stormtroopers appear and block our way. Kana swiftly incapacitates them without hesitation, his emotions beginning to take control of his actions.

"Wow. You're really not messing around tonight." Ezra notes.

"There's a lot more at stake than you realise." Kanan replies in exasperation. The three of us sneak behind the two trooper guards.

"You ever seen this Jedi Master?" One of the guards asks the other.

"Don't have the clearance." The other replies, before looking to us. Before he could alert his companion, Kanan calls upon the Force.

"Shouldn't you be guarding the Jedi's cell? It's on the next level." He suggests through the Force, probing into the mind of the guards.

"It's on the next level." The Guar who looked at us repeats robotically.

"You better get moving." Kanan adds.

"We better get moving." The other guard repeats before the two of them rush off.

"When do I learn that?" Ezra asks in awe.

"Luminara will teach you much better than I could." Kanan answers, opening the door, revealing the Jedi Master… or at least it seemed. While Ezra and Kanan are focused on Luminara, I look around the room. On the far wall stood a body stasis container. The remains of Luminara showing through the small window. Her form sitting on the prison bed just an illusion.

"Is it really her?" Ezra asks Kanan, while I stay quiet, staring at the stasis container.

"Yes, but something's wrong." Kanan answers. Luminara's form moves to the container and seemingly fades into it, revealing her true corpse to the two.

"What happened to her? I don't understand." Ezra asks in confusion.

"No? It doesn't seem that complicated." A voice calls behind us. All three of us turn to view the originator of the voice. A Pau'un Imperial stood at the cell door. "I am the Inquisitor." He introduces himself as he ignites a blood red lightsaber. "Welcome." He smiles, his pointed teeth showing. "Yes, I'm afraid Master Luminara died with the Republic. But her bones continue to serve the Empire, luring the last of the Jedi to their ends." The Inquisitor explains. Ezra tries to com Sabine.

"Spectre-3, come in. It's a trap." He attempts to warn her, only for static to sound in reply.

"There will be no reinforcements." The Inquisitor states. Kanan, having ignited his azure saber, moves to attack. The Inquisitor blocks, before utilising Form 2 to gauge Kanan's skill. I stood back and watched the Inquisitor duel. "Interesting. It seems you trained with Jedi Master Depa Billaba." He deducts.

"How… Who are you?" Kanan asks in shock. The Inquisitor continues to fight on the offensive, and forces Kanan back.

"The Temple records are quite complete." He explains, holding Kanan's saber arm away, before locking blades again. "In close quarter fighting, Billaba's emphasis was always on Form 3, which you favour to a ridiculous degree." Ezra then places a thermal detonator by the door, before firing his energy slingshot situated on his wrist, seemingly taking the Inquisitors attention as he blocks the projectile. Kanan, after hesitation, charges at the Inquisitor, who leaps over Kanan, kicking him down. I continued to watch in interest. "Clearly, you were a poor student." He states. Ezra fires two more electric bolts from his wrist slingshot, which the Inquisitor simple allows to hit him. "Is that really all you've got, my boy?" He asks mockingly.

"Well, I've got that!" Ezra counters defiantly, gesturing to the detonator, which explodes moments later, forcing the door open and allowing us an escape. The Inquisitor, clearly taunting us, follows us at a walking pace. After running past a few corridors, the Inquisitor appears from nowhere, and Kanan re-ignites his saber, but changes to a more acrobatic Form 4 evasion and deflection.

"Are you paying attention, boy? The Jedi are dead. But there is another path: The Dark Side." The Inquisitor taunts Ezra.

"Never heard of it!" Ezra retorts, firing more bolts from his slingshot. The Inquisitor pushes Kanan away, allowing him to deflect the energy bolts, before using the Force to push Ezra away.

"Have you taught him nothing?" The Inquisitor asks Kanan mockingly, who returns his focus to the duel. As the two engage in another saber lock, the Inquisitor looks to me. "Are you going to join us, or not?" He asks in taunt.

"Not today. Besides, I don't see any weakness that I personally can exploit." I answer with a shrug, while Kanan looks at me in amazement, not understanding why I wouldn't help him out.

"Interesting." He muses, before returning his attention to Kanan and the duel. "Do you really think you can save the boy? For his sake, surrender." The Inquisitor offers as Ezra stands back up, holding his now sore arm after having landed awkwardly.

"I'm not making deals with you." Kanan retorts after a quick glance at Ezra.

"Hmm. Then we'll let him make one, shall we?" The Inquisitor says, and pushes Kanan away with the Force, knocking him out, moving his focus to Ezra. "Your master cannot save you, boy. He is unfocused and undisciplined." He explains.

"Then we're perfect for each other." Ezra argues and fires again. The Inquisitor blocks the bolt and attempts to slice Ezra in half, only for him to leap over the blade.

"I do so admire you're persistence. Ready to die?" The Inquisitor asks rhetorically, and charges at Ezra. Kanan, the Force having sped up his awakening from unconsciousness, calls upon the Force, halting the Inquisitor where he stands, and lifts him up to the roof.

"Run!" Kanan orders, to which Ezra moves over to him and helps him up. The Inquisitor, having been released from his Force prison, falls to the floor, landing on his feet. He turns to us and holds his lightsaber out, activating the gyro systems of his saber, spinning the blade at immense speeds. Figuring that the Master-Padawan duo could use some help, I come up with a distraction.

"Hey, where's mine? Palpy owes me!" I complain, gaining the Inquisitor's attention, as he likely did not understand what I meant, nor understood why I simply called out in complaint like a child. As he turns to me, it gives Ezra and Kanan the time to escape from sight. "And you fell for it." I smirk in triumph, before disappearing into the shadows and catching up with the others, reappearing next to them.

"You figure out it was a trap?" Kanan asks Sabine.

"Yeah. Luminara?" She asks us.

"Long gone." I answer.

"Our new exit?" She asks after a moment of hesitation.

"Landing platform." Kanan answers, to her confusion.

"Thought it was impossible to get out that way." Sabine wonders aloud.

"Then let's prove that idea wrong." I say. As we approach the blast doors between the current corridor and the landing platform, they swiftly close, blocking our path.

"I've got it." Ezra assures with confidence, moving to hack the door systems, only to receive an electric shock, pushing him away.

"I-I'm locked out of the system." Ezra explains in shock.

"Ezra?" Kanan calls to him.

"Sorry." Ezra apologises and moves to Kanan's side.

"Ezra. Together." He explains.

"Seriously?" Ezra asks incredulously.

"Yes. Picture the locking mechanism in your mind." Kanan instructs, as they both outstretch their arms to call upon the Force.

"Excuse me, but can we train Ezra later?!" Zeb asks in annoyance.

"No. This is the best way to teach in a short time. Life or death situations. Got any miracles left?" I explain before asking Sabine.

"One more here." She answers, holding the last thermal detonator we had. She throws it towards the oncoming train of Stormtroopers, giving us the few moments that Kanan and Ezra needed to open the door. As it hissed open, partial relief flooded through everyone. "Spectre-5 to Phantom. We're on the landing deck, ready for pickup." Sabine informs Hera.

"On my way, Spectre-5. And I'm bringing the fleet." Hera assures.

"We have a fleet?" Zeb asks in confusion.

"Well, I do. But I didn't think you did." I note, not understanding what Hera meant by fleet, until the Phantom appeared in view with several creatures. "Oh. Yeah that might help us." I say in amazement. Returning my focus to the battle, I lead the crew to the Phantom, azure blade of my lightsaber humming with energy, deflecting the odd blaster bolt. The whir of a lightsaber moving towards us catches my attention, as well as Kanans. As the red blades were in reach of Kanans saber, he bats it away, earning us time as the Inquisitor calls his weapon back to him. Hopping into the Phantom, Kanan and I stand by the hatch, watching the Inquisitor closely.

"Does yours do that?" Zeb asks Kanan mockingly. Kanan glares at Zeb as the hatch closes. Hera pilots us back to the Ghost, where she docks the Phantom and everyone departs onto the Ghost. I walk with Ezra, who waits by the ladder to the top turret. I stay by him as Kanan walks up to him.

"Look, don't bother saying it. I'm letting you off the hook." Ezra says.

"What are you talking about?" Kanan asks.

"I know you just wanted to dump me on Luminara. Just cause she's gone doesn't mean you're stuck with me." Ezra explains.

"I don't want to dump you. Look, I just wanted you to have the best teacher." Kanan argues.

"Well, I don't want the best teacher. I want you." Ezra states.

"Ezra." Kanan sighs. "I'm not gonna try to teach you anymore." He starts. "If all I do is try, that means I don't truly believe I can succeed. So from now on, I will teach you." He adds. "Look, I may fail, you may fail, but there is no try."

"And at last, you understand what Master Yoda meant." I say. "That is step one in teaching another, understanding that you must believe first in yourself, before you believing in your pupil."

"And how did you know? I don't think you taught anyone." Ezra asks.

"Actually, I did. Myself. I trained myself from the ground up. I began to fight from the battle of Christophsis, all the way through to the Siege of Mandalore. I learned the hard way, that trying was not good enough. I lost good friends in the war, because I simply tried. I still hold myself responsible for it to this day." I explain.

"I understand." Ezra says.

"Let's see if you do." Kanan says, and they both head off to train.

**A/N – Updated. This one was a hard one to write… at least for where the Inquisitor was involved. It's not going to be Vex's job to fight him much, that is left to Kanan and Ezra, as they need the training.**


	30. Out Of Darkness

"Hera, shouldn't we be, uh, firing back?" Ezra asks.

"Stay calm. It's all part of the plan." Hera assures him. I'm sitting beside Hera, watching her piloting skills, as is Ezra, who is sitting on behind us.

"Is getting blasted out of the sky part of the plan too? Because if it is, then the plan's going great!" Ezra bites back.

"Ezra, you should know better. There isn't a pilot in the Imperial fleet that can outrun me." Hera scolds him.

"Yeah. So, uh, how 'bout teaching me some of those high-flyin' moves?" Ezra asks.

"You? Fly my ship?" Hera imagines incredulously, and I burst into laughter. "I don't know, Ezra. You really think you're ready?" She asks, and daringly goes head on with a TIE fighter, almost playing chicken.

"Not ready. Not ready!" Ezra yells in worry and fear, causing my laughter to increase.

"Ezra, don't ever ask a skilled pilot if you can fly their ship. It ends in tears." I say in between breaths.

"Well, we've gotten ourselves into another fine mess." Kanan states over the coms.

"I admit, it's a little messier than our intel indicated." Hera admits.

"Yeah, that's been happening a lot lately." Sabine pipes in. "Where, may I ask, does this intel come from?" She asks.

"You may ask." Hera answers.

"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, but could we maybe focus a little more on not dying?!" Ezra asks in exasperation.

"Hang on!" Hera warns, and manoeuvres us through, before destroying the hyper drive of the transport attempting to flee, causing it to explode in a green energy burst. As Hera pilots the Ghost away, Sabine follows in the Phantom, scraping the underbelly as she docks. The energy burst increases in diameter, gaining on us, but falling short as Hera jumps to lightspeed.

"It's okay. Paint might be a little scratched, but there's no real damage." Kanan assures, referring to the close call.

"Oh, there's damage. Steering's off." Hera argues.

"Not what this says." Zeb counters.

"It's what I say, and I know my ship." Hera furthers.

"Hey, I'm all for sticking it to the Empire, but what was in that convoy?" Sabine asks. "You never told us why the mission was so important."

"Because they had a massive Kyber Crystal on board." I explain to the shock of Kanan. "I've seen that kind of explosion before. Master Skywalker and Kenobi discovered a massive Kyber Crystal while investigating the death of a Jedi Master. They had to destroy it in the end, and the resulting explosion was exactly like that."

"And I've said before, I need to know more." Sabine argues, not caring about that bit of information for now.

"Forget about that for now. Everyone okay?" I ask, growing tired of Sabine's complaining.

"We're fine, but I scraped the Phantom's underbelly." Sabine says.

"You?" Hera asks in annoyance.

"It was somewhat unavoidable once your plan went south." Sabine argues.

"Oh for the love of the Father, enough. I don't want to hear you argue right now. Zeb, go run a diagnostic on the Phantom. Ezra, Chopper, you can help him out." I order.

"Have you met those two?" Zeb asks.

"You work with what you got, Zeb. Now get to it, Hera and I are going to pick up supplies from Fulcrum." I growl in frustration. Once they were out of sight, I look to Hera and sigh audibly. "The Empire is starting to increase their defences at the last minute. I had gotten Fulcrum to send a scout to watch the convoy, and it wasn't that heavily defended then."

"Yeah. It's definitely getting harder to anticipate the Empire's moves." Hera adds

"Yeah, about that, I'd like to know why we're relying on intel from this Fulcrum, whoever he is." Sabine says.

"It's Hera's job to find the missions that create problems for the Empire, and profit us. If she trusts the contact, I trust the contact. No questions asked." Kanan explains.

"At the Imperial Academy, they didn't want me to ask questions either. That didn't work for me. That's why I ended up here." Sabine says.

"And we're glad to have you." Hera assures.

"You are so frustrating." Sabine groans.

"Yeah, I've heard that before." Hera admits.

"Fine. I'm done asking questions. I'm telling you: I'm coming on your run to meet Fulcrum." Sabine states in frustration.

"Sabine, if you fuck anything up, you won't like the consequences." I warn. The plan was to actually meet Ahsoka in person, and I haven't done so in years. I do not want her screwing that up… but then again… I don't think Sabine is ready to know the truth… I might have to put my wants aside on this one.

"I'm still coming." Sabine argues.

"Fair enough. But you have been warned." I say. The three of us head to the Phantom, running into Ezra, Zeb and Chopper along the way, trying to kill each other as usual.

"I take it you've finished the repairs?" Hera asks.

"Uh, you were right. The steering needed fixing and the life support needed purging, which we've done." Ezra explains. Chopper comes up behind him and zaps him, wheeling off again in triumph. "Chopper! I'm gonna dismantle that nut bucket!" Ezra complains, running off again.

"Leave a few bolts for me!" Zeb calls out, and runs after them both.

"Typical of those three." I note. The three of us enter the Phantom, all of us squeezing into the cockpit.

"So what's the deal? Is Fulcrum just another smuggler like Vizago? Why all the secrecy?" Sabine asks.

"Oh, it's not secret we're fighting against the Empire. We need as many allies as we can get." Hera answers without actually answering.

"How do you find a way of answering questions without giving any answers?" Sabine asks in annoyance.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Hera asks in a deadpan. The coms interrupt the two of them as we are hailed.

"Phantom, this is Fulcrum, come in." Fulcrum calls through.

"This is Spectre-2, Fulcrum." Hera replies.

"Archangel here as well." I add.

"Been a while, Archangel." Fulcrum notes.

"That it has. How is the crew of the Sacrifice?" I ask.

"Anxious for a fight, as usual. They sent a gift within the supplies. You'll know which one by the symbol marked on it." Fulcrum replies with a chuckle.

"Why don't I talk to her?" Sabine asks.

"Don't. You. Dare." I snarl quietly.

"I'm already at the rendezvous, Spectre-2, Archangel. Supplies are unloaded and ready. Should I wait?" Fulcrum asks.

"Yeah, stick around. Spectre-2, Archangel and I would love to talk to you." Sabine speaks up, earning a growl from me in response.

"Spectre-2, Archangel, who was that?" Fulcrum asks.

"Spectre-5. She is antsy about going into missions without knowing why. I guess it's up to you whether you stay now, but do know that she will be punished, because I did tell her to shut up." I answer.

"Understood. Fulcrum out." Fulcrum cuts the transmission. Hera inputs the coordinates and takes us into hyperspace, the familiar blue streaks appearing in our vision.

The console begins to beep, moments before we return to real space, the blue streaks fading to black, with the shape of an old Clone Wars base directly ahead of us. Taking the controls, Hera lands us on the old base. We depart onto the base, taking in the sight of it, abandoned and run down, but still standing.

I make my way to a lone crate, half rusted and old, which held the signature blue handprint that adorned Echo's armour, along with the stylised Rishi Eel that once adorned Fives' helmet. I open the lid, revealing the modified hard-drive and data-pad that I left on the Sacrifice, a holodisk, likely holding a message from the crew, and a few pieces of scrap metal that might hold some importance later. I collect the items and pocket what could fit in my armour. I walked over to the Phantom and placed what I couldn't pocket into the main hold.

"What is all that?" Sabine asks, coming up behind me.

"Memories… and a few odds and ends that I might find some use with." I answer. Sabine stands still for a few moments, absorbing what I said, before walking off. A few moments pass before a shouts brings me back to the moment.

"Vex! Come here!" Sabine calls. Leaving the Phantom, I walk over to Sabine and Hera, who are looking at scrape marks. "There were more crates, but someone's dragged them away." Sabine says.

"Not someone. Something." I correct, pointing towards the shadows, where multiple pairs of eyes watched us. The sun moves across the sky swiftly, casting more shadows, and the creatures moved closer, following the shadows. Electricity sparks across my fingers. "I wonder if they are immune to lightning?" I wonder aloud.

"Well, I think we can guess why this place was abandoned." Sabine says. As the creatures got closer, I unleashed a quick torrent of lightning onto them, frying the closest of them.

"Never seen Kanan do that." Hera notes.

"Because the Jedi aren't taught Force lightning. It's considered a Sith power." I explain. "In my opinion, its only evil in the wrong hands." The sun returns, pushing the shadows back. "Get to the ship. We need to leave." I order. With haste, the three of us fall back to the Phantom, Hera and Sabine moving instantly to the cockpit.

"No, no, no, no, no! We had nearly a full tank when we landed." Sabine yells. "Now we're out of fuel?" I look on the ground near the phantom, noticing a fine liquid on the ground.

"Oh, when I get back there, Chopper, Zeb and Ezra are in deep shit." I growl. Hera opens a channel to them.

"Spectre-2 to Spectre-4, come in." She calls. "Spectre-2 to Spectre-4, come in!" She repeats.

"Go ahead, Spectre-2." Zeb answers.

"You did run a full diagnostic on the Phantom, correct?" She asks.

"Of course." Zeb replies.

"Did you bother to check the fucking results?!" I yell in askance.

"Um, Spectre-2, there might be a small problem with the fuel line." Zeb says sheepishly.

"YOU THINK? WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH FUCKING CREATURES WHO THINK WE ARE AN EASY DINNER!" I yell. "KANAN! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR MY YELLING, SO GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE AND HELP US!"

"We're on our way, Ghost out." Kanan quickly cuts the link.

"Well, if he didn't completely remember me before, he will now. No one else in the entire war had my temper, or my style of language." I note with a grin.

"That's all you can think of right now?" Sabine asks.

"Hey, we have a way of fighting these things. I can electrocute them to death. The only issue, is I can't do it forever… and that asteroid isn't going to help." I explain, pointing to said asteroid, moving to block out the sun. I notice a few marked barrels in the distance, an idea coming to my mind "We could use the left over Rhydonium over there." I offer, pointing to the barrels.

"Huh, that would be helpful. Since we don't know how many of those creatures there are, we can set it up for waves." Sabine adds.

"Well, we should probably start setting it up now." I note, as the asteroid reaches the edge of the sun. Sabine , being the explosives expert, swiftly move off to set up the explosives, then retreat back to the Phantom. As the asteroid fully blocks out the sun, the entire base is casted in shadow. The creatures emerge from the old hanger; slowly advancing toward us. As the leading creatures pass by the first container of Rhydonium, Sabine shoots it, detonating the explosive, killing the nearby creatures. Those further back continue to advance, before arriving at the second container. Once more, Sabine shoots it, resulting in an explosion. This process was repeated until the fifth wave of creatures advance on us.

"What about wave 5?" I ask, a bad feeling shivers along my spine.

"We didn't prepare for a fifth wave." Sabine answers in concern.

"Feared as much. Get on to top of the Phantom. Staying inside will do us no good." I order. I un-holster one of my pistols, grasping it in my left hand as we climbed on top of the Phantom. With my right hand, I unleash a short torrent of lightning on the closest group of creatures, killing them, while Hera and Sabine open fire on the others. Before long, the creatures start to overwhelm us.

"We better move, cause we aren't gonna be able to keep pushing them back from up here." Sabine advises, only for the Ghost to arrive and blast the nearby creatures with the nose gun.

"Sabine!" Hera calls, one of the creatures getting a little too close. Sabine shoots it down, giving Hera more breathing room.

"I got your back." Sabine assures her. The ramp lowers and we jump on. One of the creatures attempt to hitch a ride, only for it to hover in the air, as I grasp it with the Force, before throwing it away like a ragdoll.

"No ticket, no ride." I say as it disappears from sight. The ramp closes and the Ghost shudders.

"Something's wrong. She's not responding." Kanan informs.

"Reroute auxiliary power to the hull." Hera orders. The result is the electrification of the Ghosts hull, frying anything touching it, or attempting to do so. After collecting the Phantom with the magnetic lock, Kanan takes us away from the old base, jumping us into hyperspace. I make my way to the cockpit, to which Kanan had vacated to see Hera, and open a connection to Fulcrum.

"Fulcrum here." She responds.

"This is Archangel. I need an update on Project Valkyrie." I say.

"Relaying communication now." She reports, as her hooded hologram fades, replaced by a man I had met only a few years after the purge.

"Blaze here." He responds in his gruff voice.

"What's the news on Project Valkyrie?" I ask.

"Should be finished within a month. The crew is antsy to test her out, so we might be out of communication for some time after its completion." Grand Admiral Blaze reports.

"I can understand that. But make sure you are ready at any stage to give us a hand. I have a feeling something bad is going to happen." I explain.

"Understood. We'll be ready." Blaze replies. I cut the connection moments before Hera enters. For now, the Titan Class Battleship would be ready to give us a hand.

**A/N – Updated again. Figured Denal could wait. He doesn't really make much of an appearance in other chapters yet, so I will re add him later.**


	31. Path Of The Jedi

When Ezra had tapped into the Dark Side, Kanan became really concerned. Both of had waited for Ezra to show up for his training, only for him to not show. While Kanan moves off to meditate in his room, I go and prep the Phantom. The Force was singing in my ears, preparing for Ezra's test. After inputting the coordinates for the Temple situated on Lothal, Kanan and Ezra board together. I gesture for Kanan to take the helm, and he detaches us from the Ghost.

"So, where are we headed for this test?" Ezra asks in excitement.

"That's what you're gonna tell me." Kanan begins. "When I was your age, there were around 10,000 Jedi Knights defending the galaxy. Now, we are few." He states.

"And some of them who survived the purge, no longer consider themselves to be Jedi." I add. Kanan glares at me before continuing.

"But in those days, we had small outposts, Temples spread throughout the stars. The Empire sought out these temples and destroyed many of them, but not all." Kanan explains. "I want you to meditate, let the Force guide you to one of them."

"What if I can't find it?" Ezra asks.

"That is part of the test. Trust yourself." Kanan answers. "Trust the Force."

"So, did you take this test at my age?" Ezra asks after a moment.

"It was different for me, Ezra. Everything was different back then." Kanan sighs. "All that remains now, is the Force."

"And only my connection to the Force can lead me to the Temple." Ezra finishes.

"He can be taught." Kanan teases. Ezra immerses himself in the Force, letting it guide him.

"There's a massive stone, with a tunnel, I think. And a bright star inside of it… And it's right here, on Lothal." He exclaims.

"You sure?" Kanan asks.

"I can't give you the coordinates, but I can direct us there, I know I can." He affirms, only to see the Temple in front of us. "The stone from my vision." He says. "You already knew."

"I checked the Holocron back in my cabin." Kanan admits.

"And it told you there was a Jedi Temple on Lothal?" Ezra asks.

"The Holocron holds extensive star maps, but I was as surprised as you that there was a Temple here. While I couldn't be sure this is where you were meant to be, but it made sense. Lothal is your home."

"The reason you were surprised, Kanan, is because the Jedi had forgotten about this Temple. I would not be surprised if even Master Yoda did not know of this Temple." I explain.

"Then how do you know of it? You don't seem surprised." Kanan asks.

"Because I've been here before. I did some extensive exploring of Lothal when I arrived here. The Temple was one of the many interesting things I discovered." I say. "But I will not tell you how to get in, that is up to you." Kanan lands the Phantom, and the three of us depart.

"You better find a way inside. The Empire has access to all the old Jedi records, so this Temple may be under surveillance by the Empire." Kanan instructs Ezra, who circles the Temple swiftly.

"Nothing. No sign of an entrance. Not even a crack. But I know this is the place. I feel it." Ezra calls to us. "Seriously, can't you give me a hint?" He asks.

"Do not look. Listen. Feel the stone and hear it's story." I advise. Ezra places a palm on the stone, and it whispers to him.

"The stone. The Temple. It wants to admit me. No, wait, not me. Us. Master and Padawan. Together." He relays.

"Then together it shall be." Kanan says. They both step into the glyph and hold out their palms, calling to the Force, and opening the Temple.

"Whoa." Ezra says in awe.

"Don't lose focus. We don't want this thing crashing down on us." Kanan warns. I place my palm on the stone of the Temple, showing it my presence, and allowing myself access as well. As we enter, at a higher level than when I had ventured in, we come across the corpses of past Jedi, to which Ezra jumps in fright at the view, losing focus, causing the Temple to close. "You lost focus." Kanan scolds him.

"Well, dead guys are distracting." Ezra counters. Kanan simply sighs.

"In here, you'll have to face your worst fears and overcome them. And there's no guarantee of success." Kanan informs him.

"I have plenty of faith. Faith you'll keep me on track." Ezra answers.

"I'm not going with you." Kanan corrects.

"What? Where are you going to be?" He asks in shock.

"Right here. With them." Kanan says, gesturing to the corpses. "Masters who's Padawans never returned."

"You're putting your life in my hands?" Ezra asks shocked.

"You put your training in mine. Good luck." Kanan explains. As Ezra enters the passageway, the door begins to close behind him. Swiftly, he turns back to us.

"Wait. What exactly am I looking for?" He asks quickly.

"Nothing, and everything." Kanan replies cryptically.

"That doesn't help." Ezra replies, moments before the passage shut.

"I know. But that's what my Master told me." He sighs.

"He will be fine, Kanan." I assure him. Both of us sit down, immersing ourselves into the Force. The Force shifts around me, whispering for me to open my eyes. As I do, I find myself no longer on Lothal, but back in the same place that brought me to the universe. I stand up, listening to the voices once more.

"Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is." Yoda's voice echoes.

"What is this place?" Obi-Wan's voice asks.

"A conduit through which the entire Force of the universe flows." The voice of Qui-Gon Jinn, whom I never met in person, but had heard holo-recordings of, answers.

"A world created by the Ones." I muse quietly to myself. It made sense now, as to why the Father knew of my life.

"What you need, you already have. Unfortunately, you seem to be letting it all go."

"Hello?" Ezra's voice calls out, but not in an echo. "Master Yoda? Obi-Wan? Where are you?" He asks.

"Ezra?" I call out.

"Vex?" He calls back. I look to where the voice originated, where a slightly older Ezra was wandering in Scout Trooper armour. I make my way over to him, making him jump in surprise. "What? How did you get here? You died." He exclaims in confusion.

"No. Not that I know of at least. I was just with you in the Jedi Temple on Lothal." I state… then realisation hits me. Kanan isn't with him. My face takes a solemn expression. "Something tells me Kanan is gone." He looks at me in sadness.

"A lot happens after I get my crystal from the Temple." He states simply. He then turns his attention to our surroundings. "What is this place? And where are those voices coming from?" He asks.

"This is what you call a World Between Worlds. It brought me from my home to Christophsis during the Clone Wars. This place can change time and space itself." I explain, experience of what it has done to my life flashing before my eyes… only to disappear. "I know the Temple on Lothal had a portal to this place… is that how you got here?" I ask.

"Yes. The Loth-wolves advised as much… taking orders from Dume." He explains.

"Dume… and I take it that this 'Dume' appeared after Kanan died?" I wonder.

"Yes. It can't be a coincidence. Caleb Dume. A wolf named Dume. What does it mean?" He asks.

"If I had to guess, Kanan's will is still at work through the Force. Those who have passed on may still guide and influence the living. It has happened before." I answer, as we continue to walk along the path. A sudden hoot gains our attention, to which we follow the sound to its source.

"Hey, I've seen you before…" Ezra notes. "Yeah, whenever Ahsoka was around. You were always close by. How did you get here?" He wonders. The Condor hoots in response, flapping her wings and shuffling a little. "Can you help me? I was sent here… But I'm not sure why." He asks. The Condor hoots again, as the portal she perched on activates, the outer structure glowing blue. "What is this? What are you showing me?" He asks in worry. The portal itself darkens and shadows, as a voice calls through.

"Then you will die." The Voice of Darth Vader says. The image clears some more, showing Vader's back, and Ahsoka facing him. The Ezra of my time further in the background.

"No." The Ezra beside me says in disbelief.

"Ahsoka!" The one in the portal calls out, only to be pushed away by Ahsoka.

"It can't be." He adds.

"No! NO!" The Ezra in the portal is cut off by the Sith Temple. Ahsoka blocks a blow from Vader, who attempted to attack while she had her back facing him. After multiple blows were attempted by the two of them, the Condor squawks.

"What? What can I do?" He asks, looking toward the bird, before returning his attention to the portal. As Ahsoka enters a saber lock, Vader wheezes, the sounds almost seeming to be Ahsoka's name. The Temple, having been overloaded with power, begins to destroy itself. Ahsoka, in one last attempt to save her former Master, pushes him back with the Force, before embedding her two lightsabers into the floor, causing it to crack.

"Ezra, get her out of here now!" My own voice calls out from the portal. And if one looked closely, they could see part of my holding the main obelisk in the Temple, red and white electricity covering my left arm. As Vader moves his saber to kill, Ezra grabs Ahsoka, and pulls her through the portal. Unbalanced, Vader falls through the floor, saving him from the explosion that occurred moments later, throwing all of us back, darkness covering my vision.

As I open my eyes, the Force aiding my recovery, I look to Ezra, then Ahsoka. Both of them begin to stir, Ezra being the first to notice his surroundings.

"Ahsoka?" He asks in uncertainty, not knowing if he was seeing what he wanted to see or not. Ahsoka turns to face us.

"Ezra? Vex?" She asks in confusion. Ezra sports a small smile. "You both look… Wait. What happened? Where am I?" She asks in concern.

"You were fighting Vader." Ezra begins, Vader's voice echoing at his mention

"Obi-Wan once thought as you did." Ahsoka takes note of the voice, while tilting her head curiously at Ezra.

"We saw you in there. He was going to- So I-I grabbed you and pulled you out of there." Ezra explains.

"Anakin." Ahsoka whispers in sadness. The Condor hoots again, and Ahsoka notices her. "Morai. You're here?" She asks in curiosity.

"Morai?" Ezra asks, unsure of her background.

"I am the Daughter." The Daughter's voice echoes quietly in the background.

"She's an old friend. I owe her my life." Ahsoka explains vaguely. "And now I owe you that as well." She notes. "How did you get here? And where is Kanan?" She asks. Ezra looks down sadly.

"You've missed a lot." He replies solemnly. Ahsoka, understanding the meaning, immediately embraces him.

"I'm so sorry." She apologises.

"He is not entirely gone, though." I say. Ahsoka looks to me in confusion. "His will is still at work through the Force Sensitive Loth-Wolf Dume." I explain. "And I haven't actually encountered all of this yet. The crew in my timeline hasn't yet met you in person, 'Soka." I admit. "But I guess that is how I knew that Ezra was watching your battle, and why I called for him to get you out of there." I note.

"It makes sense. But I do not understand what this place is." Ahsoka says, looking around and analysing everything.

"A World Between Worlds. This is how I got to Christophsis all those years ago." I explain, to Ahsoka's amazement.

"Wait, so you aren't even born yet in this timeline?" Ahsoka asks incredulously.

"I don't know. My planet isn't on any star-chart, meaning either it was a planet renamed, undiscovered, or I'm not even from this universe." I explain. "But enough about me. How are you taking this, Ezra?" I ask the young Jedi.

"If Kanan was the one who sent me here, then…" He cuts himself off.

"What is it?" Ahsoka asks.

"I thought I was sent here to stop the Empire, but then I found both of you. Don't you see?" He rants.

"You think Kanan sent you here to help me?" Ahsoka asks.

"Not just you!" He exclaims.

"Want a ride?" Kanan's voice echoes.

"I can do it. I can save Kanan just like I saved you!" He exclaims.

"Ezra." Ahsoka begins, only for Kanan's voice to interrupt her.

"You can learn what it truly means to be a Jedi." At this, Ezra runs off in search for the right portal, the Force guiding him.

"Ezra, wait!" Ahsoka calls out, before both She, Morai, and I chase after him.

"Kid, I'm about to let everyone in on the secret." Kanan's voice echoes again. "I survived one war. I'm not ready for another… Battles leave scars. Some you can't see."

"This way!" Ezra calls to us, before running over to a nearby portal. "One of these portals must lead to Kanan." He states.

"Ezra, think about what you are doing." Ahsoka advises him as we catch up to him.

"I know what I'm doing! Here, in this place, I can change things. I can stop Kanan from dying." He exclaims.

"You don't know that." Ahsoka says.

"Yes, I do." Ezra argues. "If I can change your fate, I can change his." The portal near him begins to hum with energy, before the sound of an AT-AT firing can be heard. The portal shows as Kanan, his hair cut, uses the Force to slow the flames, protecting everyone. "I can reach him." He assures himself. At this stage, both Ahsoka and I could see the consequences… being that everyone dies.

"Ezra." Ahsoka begins. "Kanan gave his life so that you could live." She explains.

"If you take him out of this moment, you all die, Ezra." I add.

"You don't understand what you are asking me to do." He argues.

"Yes, we do. You can't save your Master, Ahsoka can't saver hers, and I can't bring my family back to life." I admit.

"We're asking you to let go." Ahsoka adds. Ezra stops himself, and lowers his head as Kanan pushes them away, moments before an explosion kills him.

"Kanan!" Hera's voice calls out in despair.

"I'm sorry, Ezra, but you must see. Kanan found the moment when he was needed most, and he did what he had to do, for everyone." Ahsoka assures him.

"That's the lesson. I didn't see it, but now…" Ezra sighs in defeat. "Sometimes I wish my life were different. I wish I could see my mum and dad… Why can't thing be like they were?" He wonders aloud. Thunder crackles through the space, as it warns us to leave.

"We can't stay here. You opened the door to this world. Do you know how to close it?" Ahsoka asks.

"I think I do." I interrupt. "Which of the three did you activate?" I ask.

"The female." Ezra answers.

"The Daughter, being of the Light side of the Force. She opens it, and so The Son, the male, embodiment of the Dark side of the Force, is the one you need to activate for the portal to close." I explain.

"Alright. Everyone will be so happy that you two are back." He says.

"I can't go with you." Ahsoka admits sadly.

"Perhaps I can." A voice calls from behind us. We turn to see that the Portal which we had watched Kanan's demise from, now showed the Emperor, Blue flames in front of him. He begins to cackle.

"Ezra Bridger, and Ahsoka Tano, mine at…" He cuts himself off as he notices me. At this, I smile in glee. I guess all the pestering I had done to him had affected him more than it seemed. "No. No, you are dead. Lord Vader stated as much!" He calls in shock, horror and anger.

"Not from what I can tell, Palpy McScrotum Face!" I reply in glee, before facing the others. "Go. I can take care of this fucker." I say with a smile. Both Ahsoka and Ezra nod swiftly, before running of to their respective portals.

"No! You will not get away!" The Emperor calls in anger, releasing blue flames of Sith Alchemy. As the come by me, I raise a Force shield, blocking it from advancing.

"I'm not finished with you, Palpy. Did the Inquisitor mention that you owe me an Inquisitor lightsaber?" I ask. Palpatine simply growls in response, increasing his efforts, to no avail. I had years to almost openly practise my Force powers, being easily hidden from the Empire. He would be fighting me for some time. I feel as Ahsoka's presence fades, as she returns to her time. Ezra soon follows, returning to his own. With a triumphant smile, I glare at Palpatine. "You have failed. But know this, if you want entry here, you have to get through me, Morai, Jazmin in phoenix form, The Father, and the Son." I explain, as I gather the Force in one large energy burst, pushing away the blue flames, and destroying the portal of which Palpatine was using. Taking a knee, I begin to catch my breath. While I can fake fatigue, Palpatine is powerful, and in all honesty, I would not have lasted much longer. I feel the place around me fade into nothingness, soon leaving me in complete darkness.

I open my eyes, the inside of the Lothal Temple filling my vision.

"The kid's taking too long." Kanan's voice catches my attention.

"Patience. Remember nothing of your own training do you?" Yoda's voice then echoes in askance.

"Master Yoda! It can't be. I'm losing it." Kanan replies, not believing his ears.

"Losing? Lost, yes. But what loss, hmm? The question, that is." Yoda says.

"Master? How can this be?" Kanan asks, his curiosity speaking for him.

"Be not concerned with how. Know I am here because you are here." Yoda answers as cryptically as usual.

"Thank you, Master." Kanan thanks him.

"Thank you? Hmm. Nothing have I done." Yoda replies. "Hmm. See you, I can. Before, I could not. Changed, something has." Yoda notes.

"I've taken on an apprentice." He answers.

"Apprentice? Hmm. And now a Master are you? Of this decision, honest you must be." Yoda asks.

"It's true. I'm not sure of my decision to train Ezra. Not because of him or his abilities, but because of me, because of who I am." Kanan answers honestly.

"Well, he at least learned what your favourite saying meant." I speak up. Yoda laughs audibly.

"Good, that is. Necessary to understand its meaning, if you start to teach." Yoda admits. He then hums in concern. "A dangerous time this is, for your apprentice, for you."

"I know. I can sense it." Kanan replies. "I feel as if his abilities are growing faster than I can teach him."

"You sense, or you fear?" Yoda asks.

"I lost my way for a long time, but now I have chance to change things." Kanan answers solemnly.

"Hmm. Last chance." Yoda advises.

"I won't let him lose his way. Not like I did." Kanan assures him. Yoda's presence fades away, as the passageway opens once more, Ezra walking out of it.

"How are you?" Kanan asks him.

"Different, but the same." Ezra answers.

"I know what you mean." Kanan acknowledges in understanding.

"I found this." Ezra shows a crystal to Kanan, its blue colour glowing ever so slightly, its song happy and warm.

"I don't believe it." Kanan says in amazement.

"What is it? It's good, right?" Ezra asks.

"Ezra, that's a Kyber Crystal!" Kanan exclaims.

"Oh, wow." Ezra says. "What's a Kyber Crystal?" He then asks.

"A lightsaber crystal." Kanan clarifies. "I have to admit, when I brought you here, I didn't see this happening." The three of us move to the entrance of the Temple, as it begins to open itself on instinct. "Getting a lightsaber crystal is a big step." The entrance is flooded with light, its brightness a welcome change to the darkened halls. We depart, returning to the glyph on the ground, where the Temple begins to close up once more.

"It's strange that it's just there." Ezra notes, looking at the hidden Temple.

"And it will be, for now, and hopefully, it'll be here long after you and I are gone." Kanan says.

"I don't think it will last forever. With its rediscovery, it's bound to one day attract attention." I say. "And before you ask, Ezra, no, it won't make a good base. People, and Jedi, would get lost in the masses of hidden areas within. Not to mention, it would be safer to leave it be, or the Empire may just find it faster." I add.

**Weeks later.**

"They have both been working on that thing for weeks. What kind of lightsaber could they possibly build with the junk we have lying around?" Zeb asks.

"Well, I had a few spare parts I found over the years." Kanan says.

"And I had some bits and pieces that might work modulation circuits, an energy gate. And Chopper even donated a power cell." Sabine adds. "He was pretty specific on what he wanted." I hear the voices of the crew ponder about Ezra and I. Both of us have been building separate lightsabers. Ezra's with the crystal he obtained at the Temple on Lothal, and me, using the yellow crystal I discovered back in the beginning. The time had never seemed right for me to build a lightsaber with it… until now. We both exit the room, moving over to Kanan.

"I thought I'd let you check it out first." Ezra says, and hands his newly crafted and functional lightsaber to Kanan. While Ezra had wanted some help with building it, I had told him the most that I can help, is by letting him watch as I built my own lightsaber. It was tradition for everyone to build a lightsaber without actual help, only having schematics, parts, and the crystal.

"Well, it's different." Kanan notes, looking at the design. "But that seems about right for you." He hands the lightsaber back to Ezra. "Go for it." He ignites it, and the azure blade lights up the common room. I take out my own, the makeshift hilt showing the Crystal. I ignite it, the yellow blade humming with vibrant energy. This marks a new dawn for all of us.

**A/N – Updated. Vex's lightsaber has the same sound as Ezra's, hence I felt now would be the best time to have it built. This will also tie up a loose end from the original point of Vex knowing what events would occur.**


	32. Fire Across The Galaxy

"We're all set for battle, General." Grand Admiral Blaze informs me.

"Good. We may be needed. Do we have open contact with Commander Sato and the Phoenix Cell?" I ask.

"Not yet. We haven't been able to get a stable connection with them. It might be the fact they are often in hyperspace, or on the move. But we do have contact with Fulcrum." Blaze answers.

"Alright. Open a channel to her." I state. The large holo-table in front of us shimmers and shivers as a Hologram of Fulcrum appears.

"Fulcrum here." She says.

"Fulcrum, this is Archangel. Project Valkyrie is complete." I inform her. "How are the Spectres?"

"Spectre-1 has been captured, currently MIA. The Spectres are searching for leads to his location but to no avail." Fulcrum reports solemnly. A memory comes forth, one of the Jedi of Old.

"Where were Jedi sent to die?" I ask. The name of the planet was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't say it.

"Mustafar. Why?" She asks.

"Blaze, get some scouts over to Mustafar now. Have them report back immediately if they find an imperial presence there." I advise. The Grand Admiral swiftly walks off, leaving me alone with Fulcrum.

"Why do you think Mustafar would be where they take him?" Fulcrum asks.

"The whispers." I state. Now I should get this straight. The whispers are not from the Force, but something else. I still don't know what they are from, but I am grateful for them nonetheless.

"I see. Should I inform the Spectres?" She asks.

"No. Not until we have solid intel. I'll contact you again with the findings." I state. "Archangel out." I cut the connection and make my way to the hanger.

To say the hanger was large was an understatement. The whole ship measured in at 3 Kilometres in length, and 1 Kilometre in width. This ship was a true Titan. The hanger bay cut through half of the ships width, and was a whole Kilometre in length. Think of it this way: It could fit around 1000 Z-95 Headhunters… And that was saying something. The actual fighters in the hanger bay was as follows: 150 Z-95 Headhunters, the Archangel, 100 Y-Wings, 300 R-22 Spearheads and 100+ gunships for ground assault. Each fighter had been fitted with experimental plasma cannons, designed by our best in tech, along with improved armour and hull plating. Even with all these fighters, there was still a decent amount of room to move around. One should take note, that this was one ship. The fleet held 5 Dreadnaughts, 8 CR-90 Corvettes, 3 DP20 Gunships and 5 transports. Honestly, I wish we had more support ships. A single Titan Class Ship can only do so much. I walk to the Archangel, placing a hand on my fighter, feeling the energy flow through it.

"All pilots prepare for lockdown. All fighters are to be grounded for the possibility of an upcoming assault on Imperial forces. If we do attack, and you wish for action, man a turret." Blaze's voice echoes throughout the ship. The blast doors of the hanger begin to close as I make my way back to the bridge.

As the door of the elevator opens, my presence is noticed by all. I move over to the holo-table, where a hologram image of Fulcrum forms.

"Fulcrum to Valkyrie." She calls.

"Valkyrie here." Blaze responds.

"Call back the scouts. The Spectres found a lead to Mustafar. I just received word that they need support. I'm sending Phoenix Cell to lend a hand. Will you be joining us?" She asks.

"We'll be there. Valkyrie out." Blaze answers, cutting the connection. He then opens the coms for the whole ship. "All hands, prepare for phase jump!" He warns. Where Blaze comes from, there is no hyper drive, only phase drive. It works similar to a wormhole, but slightly slower… yet faster than lightspeed. As the drive charges up, the hanger audibly finish closing.

"Well. This will be interesting." I note. "But we will have to disable the flak cannons. If the Spectres are there, they will be using imperial TIE Fighters, meaning that we need to be careful." I advise.

"I agree. Do you know any way to distinguish them from the Imps?" Blaze asks.

"They won't be shooting us. And will be chased, so they will likely be the TIE Fighters in front." I explain.

"Alright. I'll relay the orders. You plan on using the Archangel?" He asks.

"Yeah. That or a gunship so I can board whatever ship they dock in." I answer.

"Gunship will probably be the best option then. Less chance of not docking properly and being whisked into the vacuum of space." Blaze advises. "There should be some gunships in the smaller hangers. Go find one and be prepared to launch."

"Got it." I reply, moving off to explore the hangers.

By the time I find a gunship, The Valkyrie shudders as it returns real space.

"All hands, prepare for attack." Blaze's voice calls through the ship. I jump in the gunship, taking the controls, and depart from the hanger. Unlike normal gunships, this beast was heavily armed and armoured, meaning I could attack squadrons of TIE fighters if need be. Using the inbuilt comlink, I hail the Spectres.

"Archangel to Spectres. Do you copy?" I call, to no reply. "Repeat, Archangel to Spectres, come in." Still no reply. I take notice of the Star Destroyer in the middle, as it seems to drop down. I do a quick scan of the Destroyer, noting that the reactor core was breached. "Archangel to Valkyrie. Do not, I repeat, do not fire on the middle Star Destroyer. It has already taken internal damage, meaning the Spectres are likely on board." I report.

"Copy that, Archangel." The voice of one of the deck officers replies. In the distance, I notice a TIE fighter adorned with paint… likely Sabine's work… and probably the TIE that Ezra and Zeb claimed they crashed some time ago. Behind it, several TIE Fighters made chase. Moments later, the closest of the TIE's on their tail explode into flames, as the Inquisitor's TIE moves to the side of Sabine's Masterpiece.

"Archangel to Spectres, do you copy?" I attempt to call them again.

"Spectre-2 here. Where have you been, Archangel?" Hera's voice calls through.

"Making friends." I answer simply. A large electrical pulse made the hairs stand on the back of my neck, as a massive projectile is launched from the Valkyrie's main Rail-Gun Cannon. The projectile tore straight through the left Star Destroyer, splitting it from head to tail. "That's them."

"Okay, you are giving us the explanation for this as soon as we get out of here. Now, where is Chopper?" Hera asks.

"He went to go get some other friends… They should be here shortly." I assure her. Moments later, The Ghost, a Gozanti Freighter and 3 CR-90 Corvette's exit hyperspace, entering the fray and destroying the tail of which the Spectres had picked up. "Dock with the Transport, I'll be on the Ghost." I inform them, cutting the link and moving to the Ghost, docking on the starboard side. "Blaze, finish up here and return to the fleet. I'll report back to you later." I order.

"Understood." Blaze replies. I power down the gunship moments before the Ghost enters hyperspace, leaving Mustafar behind. I walk onto the Ghost, making my way to the common room, where Ahsoka's presence shines brightly.

"Well. I guess the Valkyrie is definitely operational." I comment, entering the room. Ahsoka turns and looks at me, a smile on her face. She stands and embraces me.

"It's impressive. But still not my style." Ahsoka admits.

"I am not surprised. But then again, it isn't my style either. I prefer a simple, yet powerful, squadron of Starfighters." I add. "But it will be there to help when we need it."

"That's all we can ask for. Help when we need it." Ahsoka agrees. The two of us stay here, enjoying each other's presence and touch, until the beeping of the console interrupts us. Acting on it, we return to real space, along with the corvettes and transport, the latter of which docking on the port side of the Ghost.

"If Chopper was in this transport ship, then who was flying the Ghost?" I hear Ezra ask. They enter the main hallway, where I meet up with them. Chopper then rolls ahead and plays a recorded transmission.

"Hello my friend. It is good to see you again." Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan greets.

"I don't understand. I met you once, for a few moments. I don't even know your name." Kanan says in confusion. Bail's image then fizzles away, as the recording ends. A bit short and unusual for a holo-recording in my opinion.

"His name is Senator Bail Organa." Hera explains to them.

"And the crews of the blockade runners?" Kanan asks.

"Members of other rebel cells." Hera answers honestly.

"There are other cells? We're a cell? Wait. Did you know we were a cell?" Zeb asks everyone.

"We weren't supposed to meet, or know. That way, if captured, we couldn't reveal the other rebels to the Empire. That was the protocol." Hera explains.

"The protocol has changed." Ahsoka's voice calls to us, as she joins us all.

"Fulcrum." Hera greets.

"Ahsoka. My name is Ahsoka Tano." Ahsoka corrects her.

"Now, I'll properly introduce myself. Vex Hunter. General of the 338th Clone Battalion. Leader of the Valkyrie Rebel Cell." I say.

"Why did you come here?" Kanan asks.

"Because of you and your apprentice. Many in this system and beyond have heard your message. You gave them hope in their darkest times. We didn't want that hope to die." Ahsoka answers.

"And before that, Ahsoka and I were mainly watching over Ezra to begin with. Ahsoka then joined up with Bail Organa, and began to help the Rebel Cells. I stayed to watch over Ezra, hoping that one day, someone would appear and be able to teach him the ways of the Force." I further explain. A moment of silence ensues, before Ezra speaks up.

"So what happens now?" He asks.

"We continue to do what we always have. But now, we have more help." I answer.

**A/N – Updated. This chapter has been shortened, but I hope it has a greater effect. The Valkyrie will show up every now and then, but not much during the chapters already written.**


	33. Lost Commanders

Vader had rained on our parade, destroying most of Phoenix Squadron and destroying the command ship, Phoenix Home. Currently, the Ghost crew, Ahsoka, Commander Sato and I were standing around a holo-table within one of the CR-90 Corvettes.

"The destruction of our command ship has severely limited our ability to fight the Empire in this sector." Commander Jun Sato informs us.

"So maybe we don't fight. Uh, Commander Sato, sir." Ezra begins. "When things got tough for me on Lothal, I'd find some place to hide."

"You are never shy with your opinions, Ezra Bridger, but establishing a base is a good idea." Sato agrees.

"Problem is; none of the potential bases we know of have the tactical advantage we need to protect what's left of our fleet." Hera says.

"Or aid the nearby systems suffering from Imperial oppression." Kanan adds.

"We can't help others if we can't help ourselves, Kanan." Hera chides. "If only we had more allies."

"I know someone who might be able to help us." Ahsoka speaks up suddenly. "A great military commander with a vast knowledge of the Outer Rim. He could assist us in finding a base, and his experienced leadership would make him a powerful ally."

"How do we recruit this leader?" Sato asks in curiosity.

"That's the problem. I lost track of him a long time ago, and all my transmissions have gone unanswered." Ahsoka admits.

"We can find him. Let us try." Ezra volunteers.

"Well, there is one option I've not yet attempted." Ahsoka says.

"Actually, two options." I correct her. "We'll meet you at the Ghost." Ahsoka and I walk off, making our way to the gunship I had still not returned to the Valkyrie. Inside, and this was a standard of all gunships, an old tactical droid head was attached to the console. They were good at finding things after all. I unplug the head, and Ahsoka collects it, the two of us leaving to the Ghost, meeting back up with the crew.

"Is that the head of an old Tactical droid?" Kanan asks suspiciously.

"These droids were great at finding things, calculating. Found Vex, my Master and I a few times when we didn't want to be found." Ahsoka explains.

"How in all the galaxy is that droid gonna find your friend?" Ezra asks.

"Well, I heard he was last seen in the Seelos system. You can start there." Ahsoka answers, gesturing to all of us.

"You're not coming with us?" Ezra asks in surprise.

"I have something else to attend to." She answers.

"The Sith Lord." Kanan guesses.

"There are questions. Questions that need answering." Ahsoka admits.

"I wish we could go with you." Ezra admits.

"You have your own mission, Ezra. And Kanan, if you find my friend, you must trust him." Ahsoka says sceptically.

"If he's all the things you say, we can't afford not to." Kanan states.

"Trust him." Ahsoka repeats, before the door closes, separating us.

"What was that about?" Ezra asks, curious as to Ahsoka's behaviour.

"I have no idea." Kanan admits.

"You'll understand when the time is right." I state. Within moments, Hera takes us to hyperspace.

The Ghosts shudders violently as it returns to real space, Hera's voice echoing through the ship in anger.

"We get all the way to Seelos, and now you tell me the hyper drive wasn't completely fixed?!" Meeting up with Kanan, we walk to the cockpit, where Hera is shouting at Chopper. "You finished the important repairs? How do you define important?!"

"What's going on?" Kanan asks for clarification.

"Chopper and I are staying here. To clean up this mess. Take the Phantom. Hopefully we'll be ready to go by the time you get back." Hera answers roughly, anger rolling off of her in waves. Deciding it was best to leave her be for the time being, Kanan and I go round up the others, herding them into the Phantom, where I plug the droid head into the console.

"Well, let's fire this thing up." Sabine says, activating the head, of which begins to whir. "I think it's scanning for a signal of some kind."

"Good luck. You could really get lost out here." Ezra notes.

"Maybe that was the idea." Zeb begins. "What if this great commander doesn't want to be found?" Before anyone could ponder further on this, the droid head begins to beep, having found the signal.

"7567. 7567."

"It's homing in on something." Sabine says.

"7567. 7567."

"There." I point. Ahead of us, a modified Walker trudged through the desert in a slow, but continuous pace.

"Whoa." Ezra says in awe, as the Phantom closes in on it.

"Now that is a work of art." Sabine says in admiration.

"It looks like an old Republic tank, used during the Clone Wars." Kanan mutters quietly, his past still haunting him.

As Kanan landed the Phantom, anxiety filled me. It had been years since Ahsoka and I had seen Rex, and none of our transmissions had been answered. We departed the Phantom and walked over to the now halted Walker, the wind chimes singing their tune.

"Ezra, be on guard." Kanan warns. Moments later, the door opens, as an aged Rex appeared from the AT-TE, along with two other troopers… One of which I did not recognise.

"It's just a bunch of old geezers." Zeb dismisses gruffly.

"Well armed old geezers." Sabine corrects him.

"What do you want?" Rex calls to us in askance.

"We're looking for someone." Ezra answers.

"Well, that's too bad, cause there's nobody out here." Rex replies simply. Silence ensues for a few moments, before Ezra speaks up again.

"Hey, uh, does the number 7567 mean anything to you?" Ezra asks him.

"What did you say?" Rex asks in disbelief, the two troopers beside him tensing up.

"Uh, I said 7567." Ezra repeats sheepishly.

"I haven't heard those digits in, well, that's my birth number!" He exclaims.

"Birth number?" Ezra wonders aloud, before Kanan pushes him aside, igniting his lightsaber.

"They're clones." He says in anger. Wolffe raises his blaster, only for Rex to stop him. Using the Force, I yank Kanan's lightsaber out of his hand and into my own, deactivating it mid-air.

"You won't need that, Kanan. You can trust him, and for good reason." I admonish him. Rex then looks to me.

"It's been a while, Vex." Rex greets me.

"That it has. Denal has been fine, before you ask." I reply.

"Has he kept you out of trouble?" He asks with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm not as bad as I used to be. But I think it's been the other way around lately. Everyone on the Sacrifice has been getting antsy for a battle." I explain.

"Typical I guess. Who are these lot?" He then asks.

"Kanan is the one who wants to kill you, Ezra is his more level-headed, or at least for the moment, apprentice." I say, gesturing to the two Jedi. "Sabine is the Mandalorian, and Zeb is the Lasat." I say. "Ahsoka sent us to find you."

"It's nice to meet you, 7567." Ezra greets him.

"The name's Rex, kid. Captain. 501st Clone Battalion. Meet Commanders Gregor and Wolffe." Rex says, standing proud and at attention. "I fought with Commander Tano from the Battle of Christophsis to the Siege of Mandalore, as well as Vex for most of those battles. A friend of theirs is a friend of mine." He swiftly ushers us into the Walker, where Ezra picks up Rex's old helmet. "Easy with those, son." Rex says gently, and Ezra put it back down. "How is Ahsoka?" Rex asks.

"Uh, well, in need of help. We all are. Look, we're trying to fight the Empire, but we're outnumbered, outmatched and taking a beating. We could use your help." Ezra explains.

"Well, I'm not sure I'm much help to anyone these days. Didn't you hear? The Emperor said the clone army has out served its purpose and retired us. Now we spend our days just telling stories and slinging for Joopas." Rex says.

"This was a wasted trip. You heard the clone, he's not interested." Kanan says quickly.

"Wait." Ezra says. "You don't like the Empire, do you?" He asks.

"Well, the Empire certainly isn't the Republic, but you can't do anything about that." Rex answers.

"You could fight." Ezra offers.

"Sorry, son. My days as a soldier are over." Rex declines.

"Well, okay. Okay, then maybe there's one thing you can help us with. We need a base. Ahsoka said you knew all sorts of secret locations in the Outer Rim." Ezra says.

"Well, my memory isn't what it once was, but, um, there are a few spots I never bothered to report to the Empire. Look, why don't you wait outside and I'll put together a list of coordinates." Rex says. The crew nod in understanding and move outside… except for me. "Vex, you know that meant you as well, right?" Rex asks.

"Oh, I know, but its either I stay visible, or I use the shadows. You know what I'm like, Rex." I say with a shrug. Rex simply sighs.

"Alright. You can stay." He relents. Wolffe then speaks up.

"Listen, they are in some kind of trouble. If we help them, we are putting ourselves in danger." He says.

"Wolffe, relax. We got the situation under control." Gregor, in his more crazed state, says to Wolffe.

"Oh, really? Really? What do you think the Empire will do to us if they find out that we are helping a Jedi, hmm?" Wolffe asks.

"Yeah, I don't know what the Empire would do, but I'm going slinging." Gregor replies, and heads outside to speak with the crew.

"Oh, this will be fun to watch." I note with a smile.

"You plan on telling them about the Lasat being bait?" Rex asks in curiosity.

"Nah, I want to see how long it takes them to realise it themselves." I say with a smile. I walk out and over to the Phantom, where Kanan and Ezra are conversing.

"You don't trust these clones, but they haven't done anything." Ezra says to Kanan, not understanding why he didn't.

"You don't understand. They're dangerous. They could…" Kanan begins.

"They could what? Rex doesn't seem bad at all." Ezra interrupts. "Ahsoka said to trust him. You trust her, don't you?"

"You weren't there. You weren't even born!" Kanan states in anger and betrayal. The purge still weighing heavily on him.

"What are you talking about?" Ezra asks in curiosity and concern.

"I don't feel like discussing it." Kanan dismisses. As Ezra is about to leave, however, he relents. "It was at the end, the end of the war. Our fellow soldiers, the clone, the ones we Jedi fought side by side with, suddenly turned and betrayed us. I watched them kill my Master. She fought beside them for years, and they gunned her down in a second, and then came for me. Later, they said they had chips in their heads that made them do it. Said they had no choice." Kanan explains.

"I didn't betray my Jedi." Rex says, appearing at the door. "Wolffe, Gregor and I all removed our control chips. We all had a choice." He then disappears again, to which I walk to the door.

"It wasn't just Jedi that the clones killed. The men who fought side by side with Rex when the order came in, began to turn on him. Ahsoka and I were given a choice: Keep the Separatist we had in containment, or save Rex from his own brothers. Not to mention, there was a trooper who was killed for discovering the true nature of the Chips. Rex and I were witness to that as well." I explain. "But enough about that. I hear we are going slinging for Joopas. Shall we get started?"

"May as well get this over with." Kanan admits roughly. I lead the two of them to the front of the Walker, where Gregor and Rex were setting up the equipment. An electric line, a regulator, two electro-staves, a Lasat, the big gun, and a crazed Gregor. Rex helps Zeb put an electric-connector pack on his back, so that the line could connect to him. Gregor then instructs him to walk ahead of the walker. After a few moments of making sure everything was ready, we begin moving forward.

"If we're lucky, we'll catch Big Bongo today." Gregor says happily in his crazed state.

"Let's just get this over with. I'm getting hungry." Zeb complains. I stand next to Rex, manning the big gun, watching events unfold.

"Keep on going forward. Just a little bit more." Gregor instructs. "We're coming up on a hot spot!"

"Your hot spot looks like everywhere else on this desolate rock." Zeb retorts.

"Alright. Full stop." Rex orders, to which Wolffe halts the Walker. Ezra and Gregor talk for a moment, before they realise that Zeb isn't the hunter, but the bait.

"Buddy, run! You're the bait! It's gonna eat you!" Ezra calls to Zeb, hoping to get him out of danger. The ground begins to shake, before stopping suddenly.

"Oh, Karabast." Zeb says, before the Joopa bursts through the ground and swallows him.

"Whoo-hoo! This could be him! Our Big Bongo!" Gregor says in excitement.

"Hey, I bet you know a thing or two about mechanics." Rex says to Sabine.

"Yeah, good bet." Sabine replies.

"Keep an eye on this regulator. The line can overheat and shut down. No line, no Joopa, no Zeb." He explains.

"Got it." Sabine says and works with the regulator.

"What about us?" Ezra asks.

"You got the best job of all! When the line swings around, you'll charge it with these Electro-Poles. Hit the line with the rod, and it'll send a bolt of energy down to the Joopa. Do it enough, and you should bring it up to the surface." Gregor says, and fetches two Electro-Poles. He hands one to Ezra, before moving over to Kanan. "Here's one for you, General." Gregor says.

"Don't call me that. I was never a General." Kanan replies.

"Uh, my mistake. Sorry, Commander." Gregor says.

'No, its not…" Kanan sighs, and just ignores it. As the line swings by, Kanan and Ezra hit it with the Electro-Poles, the ground visibly rattling as the Joopa takes the hit.

"That's it! Ooh! He didn't like that! Hit him again!" Gregor says in happiness.

"He's a runnin'" Rex says. "Hit that line. Bring him up." They hit the line again, only for the regulator to begin overheating.

"We're losing the regulator." Sabine warns.

"Full stop, Wolffe! Dig in!" Rex orders, and the walker digs into the ground, being pulled slightly by the Joopa.

"Whoa! I can't reach it! Kanan, lift me up." Ezra says. "Sabine!"

"I know, I know. Working on it!" She replies. A few moments later, Sabine gets the regulator back up. "Got it."

"Ezra? Go!" Kanan says, handing him his Electro-Pole while holding him up. Ezra activates the two staves and hits the line, to which the Joopa surfaces.

"It is Big Bongo!" Gregor says in excitement. Rex fires the walker's cannon, hitting the Joopa and bringing it down. A few moments pass before Zeb gets himself out of the Joopa.

"Nice catch, Old-Timers." Sabine congratulates. Gregor goes down to Zeb.

"Now that, that was impressive." Gregor states.

"Impressive? You almost got my friend eaten!" Kanan argues.

"If he was in danger, Kanan, I would have stepped in." I say, but he ignores me. After a bit of ego stroking, and calming Kanan down, we attach the Joopa to the side of the walker, taking part of it to eat for dinner. For the first time trying it, I have to admit, it was quite a nice meal… just not my style of food though.

"I've assembled a list of potential bases and clearance codes and a few protocols the Imperials still use. Should be of some use." Rex informs us.

"Thanks, Rex." Ezra thanks him.

"They're on our main computer. You're gonna need…" Rex begins.

"Data tapes? I got this." Sabine interrupts and heads off.

"You were brave today, kid. You jumped right in there to help. A great Jedi once told me that the best leaders lead by example. You do that well." Rex compliments him.

"Thanks. I've learned from a great Jedi too. Kanan." Ezra says, looking to said Jedi, who was doing his best to not make eye contact with any of the troops.

"Mmm. You know, I don't think he likes me. Or ever will. Can't say I blame him." Rex notes. "The war left its scars on all of us."

"You won't reconsider joining us?" Ezra asks.

"You know, I've out served my purpose for that kind of fighting, I'm afraid." Rex explains. "After the war, I questioned the point of the whole thing. All those men died, and for what?"

"I guess what they thought was right." Ezra answers.

"The clones gave us up. They warned the Empire we're here." Sabine says as she waltzes in.

"You mean clone. Only one of them did it, Sabine." I say. "And I think you can guess who, Rex."

"Wolffe. What did you do?" Rex asks, turning to the trooper in question.

"I-I contacted the Empire. If they found out that we were helping a Jedi, they'd wipe us out." Wolffe explains in defence.

"And what makes you think the Empire would have ever found out?" I ask. "You have brought your fears to reality by your actions, Wolffe. General Plo Koon would have taught you better." I scold him, reminding him of the way Plo Koon acted, the lives of his men always more important than the mission.

"There were also messages that Ahsoka and Vex sent to Rex, which he never answered." Sabine adds.

"What?" Rex asks in shock, snatching the data pad and reading through swiftly. "Wolffe, you know that Commander Tano was like a sister to me. Why?" He asks. Kanan gets Sabine to go and warn Hera.

"I wanted to protect us. Protect our Squad." Wolffe says.

"The war is over. We are free men. We can't live under the fear of the Empire for the rest of our lives, Wolffe." Rex explains. "That's not freedom."

"You're right. They're not our enemy. I'm sorry." Wolffe apologises.

"Kanan!" Sabine shouts, and blaster fire sounds. Zeb and Gregor duck under equipment to avoid the Probe, which begins to escape. Ezra grabs a rifle, while the rest of us go to view the Probe.

"Rex. You gotta make this right." Ezra says, and hands him the rifle. Rex aims, and fires, hitting the Probe dead on, destroying it.

"The Probe hit the engines of the Phantom. We're not going anywhere until it's fixed." Sabine informs us.

"So we're stuck here, with the Empire on their way." I say.

**A/N – Updated. I'm not really sure how to word this one better. I've done what I can, but it's giving me a headache. I'll figure something out for it eventually.**


	34. Relics Of The Old Republic

"The probe hit us pretty badly. Repairs are gonna take a while longer." Sabine informs us.

"We don't have much time. There's no telling when the Empire will get here. We have to get off the surface." Kanan replies.

"Well, the Empire's not our only problem. There's a storm coming up behind us." Sabine notes. Rex comes up to us, data tape in hand.

"Here they are; the coordinates of every Republic base, Separatist installation, pirate hideout and smuggler's den in the Outer Rim." Rex says, handing it to us.

"Plus a few Mandalorian bases that even they've forgotten about." Wolffe adds.

"Thank you, Rex." I thank him.

"Sure you won't come with us?" Ezra asks.

"Yeah, you're not bad in a fight. I mean, for older gentlemen." Zeb adds.

"Like I said. Our war's over, kid. Don't much care to get mixed up in another. Oh, and say hello to Commander Tano for me." Rex replies.

"But the Empire's on its way, and they will find you." Ezra says.

"Oh, we can take care of ourselves." Rex assures him.

"Spectre-1 to Spetre-2. Gonna be down here a while longer." Kanan calls to Hera through his comlink.

"Give me some good news." Hera replies in frustration.

"Has the Empire showed up yet?" Kanan asks.

"I'm a little busy finishing repairs on the Ghost, but Chopper's been scanning. So far, nothing." She says. Moments later, the Force shifts in warning.

"Yeah, check again." I advise her.

"Just had to say that. Star Destroyer just came out of hyperspace. Gonna power down so they can't scan me. Once I finish repairs, I'll come get you." Hera says. "Good luck down there." The connection is cut.

"If they follow procedure, they'll fly search patterns based on our last confirmed position." Rex says, only for their long ranged communication port to chime.

"Or they'll call." Gregor notes. "Incoming Imperial transmission. It's for you, Wolffe." He says cheerfully.

"They called back? They-they never call back." Wolffe notes with surprise.

"Just get rid of them, Wolffe." I say.

"Yeah, it was my mistake. And I'll fix it." He says, before accepting the call.

"CC-3636. Commander Wolffe, is it?" Agent Kallus asks for confirmation.

"Yep, that's me. What can I do for you, sir?" Wolffe affirms.

"Please transmit your coordinates so I can investigate the Jedi sightings you reported." Kallus orders.

"What? Uh, Je-Jedi? Uh, no, no. No th-there's no Jedi. Here. My-my old, uh, cybernetic eye must be acting up again. Sorry for wasting your time." Wolffe stammers. An image of the Walker housing the landed Phantom is shown in response.

"This image was taken by one of our probe droids. It clearly shows you harbouring known rebels. Now surrender them, or be destroyed." Kallus orders. Rex then steps in.

"If it's a fight you want, I hope you brought a better class of soldier than those Stormtroopers." Rex taunts.

"They serve the Empire well, and I have a great many of them." Kallus says in intimidation.

"You're gonna need all of 'em" Rex says, before cutting the link.

"Good old Rex, never far from a fight." I say.

"Eh, my General rubbed off on me." Rex replies with a shrug. The walker then shakes as it's hit by blaster fire.

"They found us." Gregor says, still cheerful.

"Guess that search pattern paid off." I add. Wolffe moves of to the cockpit while the rest of us go topside.

"Battle stations." Rex orders. Zeb and Sabine take weapons that were stored, a Z-6 Rotary Cannon and DC-15A blaster rifle respectively, while Kanan and Ezra defend the Phantom from enemy fire.

"We're sitting mynocks on this thing!" Ezra says.

"Think so? Wolffe, evasive manoeuvres." Rex orders.

"Copy that." Wolffe replies, and moves the walker erratically.

"Hurry! He's coming around for another pass." Rex warns. Sabine and Zeb open fire as the TIE Fighter gets closer.

"Ezra, protect the Phantom." Kanan says.

"What about the walker?" Ezra asks.

"It can take a hit. I think." Kanan assures him. Zeb and Sabine open fire, missing every shot they take.

"Try shortening your leads. You're wasting ammo." Rex advises the two of them, while holding a rocket launcher.

"You're welcome to help." Sabine replies.

"Eh, why spoil the fun? We haven't been shot at in years." Gregor says in joy.

"Yeah? Well, it happens to us every day." Sabine replies. I simply stand and watch, not bothering to take any shots at the TIE Fighter myself.

"Why doesn't someone man the big gun?" Ezra asks.

"That's no good in this situation." Rex answers.

"It's not accurate enough, Ezra." I further explain. Rex offers the launcher to Gregor.

"You want the shot?" He asks.

"Love to." Gregor responds, and takes the launcher, aims, and fires. Its trajectory straight, and in the path of where the TIE Fighter was heading. It hits it dead on.

"Gregor, you've still got it." Rex assures.

"It's in my blood." Gregor reminds him.

"You know, we'd make a good team if we all fought together." Ezra says.

"Yeah, tried that once. Didn't work out so well." Kanan dismisses. "Now, if that storm gets any closer it'll ground us. Sabine, we need to Phantom to fly."

"I'm on it." Sabine replies, and heads off to fix the Phantom. Ezra sits in the gunner seat, and Rex goes to talk to him.

"Uh, sorry, I'm in your seat." Ezra begins to stand, but Rex points to the controls.

"The traverse controls are over here on the left, and the elevation's on the right." He instructs.

"Really?" He asks in amazement. "So, um, what was it like to fight in the war?" He asks sheepishly.

"I don't think the fighting ever got to Lothal." Rex begins. "I tell ya, war was never dull. The General I fought with was among the greatest of the Jedi. I trusted him with my life more times than I can count. And I tried my best to keep that trust." Rex finished.

"Like when the two devils threw you off the fortress wall and stopped you from falling to your death with the Force?" I ask.

"Ah, that was an interesting experience." Rex admits, as Ezra laughs. I stop suddenly, as I feel a distant thud. "Wait. I hear something." I say, the thuds getting slightly louder.

"Enemy contact. Point 24." Wolffe says, pointing to the distance, where three AT-AT Walkers stood. Wolffe grabs some macro binoculars and zooms in on the enemy.

"How many legs they got?" Rex asks.

"Looks like four." Wolffe notes.

"Four? Well, how are they not falling over?" Rex asks, and take the binoculars to see for himself. "Huh. Reinforced armour plating, heavy cannons and antipersonnel blasters." He says with interest.

"I'm glad you guys are so excited, but those giant death machines are on their way to blow us to bits." Ezra says in alarm.

"Wolffe, set vector two-niner-zero." Rex orders.

"Wait, you're just gonna turn tail and run? Just like that?" Kanan asks.

"Well, if you've got a better idea, sir, now's the time." Rex retorts.

"I thought you clones loved to fight." Kanan says.

"I do love a battle, but on my terms." Rex answers. "Gregor, drop the Joopa. We gotta get moving."

"Oh." Gregor says sadly. "Bye-bye, Big Bongo." The Joopa is detached, and the Walker gains some speed.

"Wolffe, turn 180." Rex orders.

"Copy that." Wolffe affirms.

"Kanan, I'm not sure how far we'll get, but I think she'll fly." Sabine says, as the Phantom in ready.

"Too late." I say. "We would be shot down before we can blink."

"He's right, Kanan. They'll shoot us down." Ezra agrees with me.

"How will going into that storm be any better?" Kanan asks.

"Well, the storm will scramble the scanners. We'll all be blind." Sabine says.

"But a Jedi won't." Rex informs us. Kanan relents.

"Alright, everybody inside." He orders.

"Sir, yes, sir." Rex replies cheerfully. We all cram in, and plan.

"We're not gonna be able to hide in this storm forever." Zeb says.

"Those things are practically impervious to blasters, but they have one weak point in their armour, the neck." Sabine informs us.

"One well-placed shot from the main gun should destroy it." Gregor adds.

"That's all we might get, one shot." Rex warns.

"I don't know how we're supposed to shoot something we can't see." Zeb says. "I don't even know where the enemy is."

"You don't always have to see something to know where it is. If you're willing to trust me, I can get us that shot." Kanan offers.

"I always trust my General." Rex assures him.

"Prepare to stop. Now!" Kanan orders, and Wolffe stops. "Commander Wolffe, circle left, double time. Full stop!" The walker stops. "If what I'm sensing is right, we're surrounded."

"What?" Sabine, Zeb and Ezra ask in shock.

"You put us right in the middle of em, to get us a shot. It's crazy, but it's probably our best chance." Rex explains. "Once we fire, we'll reveal our location. If we miss, it's all over."

"I'll take the shot." Gregor offers.

"No. Ezra should take the shot." Kanan replies.

"Uh, why don't you do it?" Ezra asks, not entirely confident in himself.

"Kanan's right. We need one Jedi up there manning the cannon, and another Jedi down here to lead us out of this mess. You are the only ones who can see in this storm." Rex agrees.

"Sabine, spot him." Kanan orders, and both Ezra and Sabine start to head off, before Rex stops them.

"Hey, kid." He calls, and throws Ezra his old helmet. "You might need that." He says, before they head outside.

"Ezra, there's a walker around point 5." Kanan advises him through coms.

"Somewhere around point 5? Terrific." Ezra retorts. "Targeting scope's useless. I can't see it."

"It doesn't matter. You're not going to see it with your eyes. The walker is there. Trust yourself." Kanan assures him. A few moments pass, before the cannon fires, and hits one of the walkers right in the neck, taking it down. "Wolffe, there is your opening. Go for it!" Kanan orders, and the walker lurches onward.

As we get through the storm, we all get back up top.

"Good shot, kid. Now get yourself moving. This is your only chance." Rex says.

"What? We can't leave now." Ezra argues.

"We have to get the information they gave us back to the Rebellion." Kanan counters.

"The other part of that mission is to bring Rex back with us. We can't just abandon them." Ezra continues to argue.

"You're not abandoning anyone. We're covering your escape. Now, move." Rex attempts to assure him. "We're soldiers, Ezra. This is what we were born to do."

"Go on without me." I tell the crew. "I'm gonna give them a fighting chance. Get the information back to base." I then ignite my lightsaber and move beside Rex. The Phantom then takes off.

"I thought I told you to leave." Rex says.

"I'm not leaving my brothers behind again, Rex. I'll fight with you till the end." I answer him.

"Wolffe, bring us around." Rex orders, and the walker is turned to face the enemy. "Boys, this might be it. At least we'll go down fighting, like a clone should."

"I'm with you all the way Captain." Gregor responds, and Wolffe howls in glee. We charge the AT-AT Walkers head on, and I deflect what blasts I can. One of the blasts hit the front left armour plating, and the walker shudders.

"Come on, Wolffe. It's just a scratch. Keep moving forward, soldier!" Rex calls. Wolffe then charges at a faster pace.

"I'm going for the legs, all four of them!" Wolffe shouts, as he rams the walker. Blaster fire erupts from beside us.

"We've been outflanked." Rex warns.

"I'm on it." I say, and move to the side to deflect the oncoming bolts of energy. The main cannon begins to overheat.

"Gregor, I've lost power to the main cannon!" Rex shouts.

"I know, I know, I'm working on it, Captain." Gregor replies as he attempts to cool the cannon down through the ventilation systems.

"Come out and fight, you cowards!" Rex calls, as he stands in front of the walkers cannons, ready to die in battle, only for the Phantom to fire on the walker, and for Ezra, Kanan and Zeb to jump on the other walker, hijacking it and opening fire on Kallus' walker.

"Ah-ah! Whoa! Power restored!" Gregor informs Rex, who jumps back into the gunner seat, and fires at the walkers neck, destroying it. Kallus and the troops who were on board it flee on a speeder.

"Looks like we live to fight another day, brothers." I note, as we stand on the now totalled AT-TE Walker.

"Don't we always?" Wolffe asks.

"We do when we have a Jedi leading us." Gregor answers, pointing towards Kanan and Ezra.

**Back on the temporary command ship**

Rex steps out from behind Kanan and Ezra, and stands at ease.

"Commander." He greets Ahsoka. "You got old."

"Had to happen sometime, Rex." Ahsoka replies, before embracing him tightly.

"I'm glad you're still alive." Rex says.

"You too." Ahsoka replies.

"Well, I wouldn't be if it weren't for these guys." He explains, gesturing to the Spectres.

"Thank you, for trusting my friend." Ahsoka thanks Kanan.

"It wasn't easy. Still isn't." Kanan admits.

"Nothing worth doing ever is easy, Kanan." I add solemnly.


	35. Hondo Ohnaka

When Ezra went off to go help out Vizago, given his distress signal being activated, I snuck aboard to help if needed.

"So, what's the plan?" I ask, emerging from the shadows and scaring Ezra.

"Karabast! Where did you come from?" He asks in shock.

"The Base, and the shadows. That a good answer?" I ask in jest.

"Never mind." Ezra says. The ship returns to real space, and Vizago's ship appears in view. "That's Vizago's ship, alright. I wonder what happened." Ezra wonders. Chopper had joined, and was warbling in confusion. "Vizago! Cikatro Vizago, do you read me?" Ezra calls through the coms. Chopper warbles again. "Of course we're going to board the ship. Vizago might be in trouble." Ezra replies.

"I sense a familiar presence on that ship, and I don't mean Vizago, or Sith, or Inquisitors." I inform Ezra. We dock with the Broken Horn and board. As we reach the bridge, a figure could be seen.

"Vizago? Vizago, is that you?" Ezra asks.

"Uh, not exactly." A weequay replies, before emerging into the light.

"Hondo. It's been a while." I greet the pirate.

"Vex? You've gotten older! Ha-ha! It's good to see you my friend." Hondo Ohnaka replies and embraces my momentarily.

"Hondo?" Ezra asks in confusion.

"He captured Count Dooku during the war, as well as two Jedi. Unknown to most, I had watched most of it unfold after training to hide in the shadows. I couldn't return to normal for quite some time, and that was done when I somehow bumped into Hondo. If a tough situation occurred, I would trust him with my life." I explain.

"Ah, the good old days. I do wonder what happened to Kenobi. Did he ever find those horned maniacs again after we seemingly vaporised them?" He asks.

"Unfortunately, yes. Killed a dear friend of his and started a civil war on Mandalore." I reply solemnly. "And he is still alive. Don't know where he is though."

"Ah well. As long as he doesn't show up we should be fine!" Hondo exclaims. "But who is this one?" He asks, pointing at Ezra.

"Ezra Bridger. Jedi Padawan." I introduce.

"Jedi? But you said you weren't one." Hondo accuses.

"I'm not his Master. That would be someone else. Anyway, you two are going to have a fun adventure. Take care, and wake me when Hondo returns." I say, and go back to the phantom to sleep.

**A few hours later**.

"Ah, Vex, let us go tell stories of Ezra the this crew!" He says joyfully, as the Phantom docks with the Ghost.

"Huh, I guess we are back. Good to know." I say. "Oh, and welcome, firstly, onto the Phantom, and now, the Ghost."

"Why thank you! Now, where are our listeners?" Hondo wanders off to the common room, and I slowly follow him.

"Uh, who is this?" Kanan asks with an eyebrow raised.

"Hondo Ohnaka, at your service." Hondo introduces himself with a bow.

"An old friend of Kenobi's as well as mine." I add. Hondo then begins to tell Ezra's adventure with him. When Ezra arrives back, Hondo leaves, and donates the Generators freely, before taking his leave. "Well. I guess that's one way to sleep through an adventure." I note.

"You did what now?" Kanan, Hera, Sabine and Zeb asks in shock.

"What? The Force was calling for Ezra, and I simply tagged along to be able to sleep. It's hard to do that nowadays." I say with a shrug.

**Alright. Little behind the scenes in there. I didn't include the whole introduction of Hondo back in the clone wars because it was categorised under ability testing, which will not be in this story. I thought it would be nice to have a little conversation about the past with Hondo as well, especially considering the subject of Maul. Still love the way Hondo had called them horny headed maniacs… even if it can be read in the wrong way. Oh well. Till next chapter, or so.**


	36. Future of the Force

As Kanan was meditating, Ahsoka and I both walk in, interrupting him.

"This is unexpected. Don't get me wrong, it's always good to see you, but usually it means there's trouble." Kanan says.

"What we have to say is Jedi business." Ahsoka informs him.

"Then I guess I qualify." Kanan states.

"You qualify more than either of us." I note.

"We've been monitoring transmissions from Mustafar to find out more about the Sith Lord." Ahsoka reports.

"And?" Kanan asks.

"Information about him eludes me, but I've learned more about his Inquisitors. It seems they have a secondary mission to make retrievals." Ahsoka answers.

"We know they hunt Jedi, so what else are they after?" He asks.

"Children." I state. "They want Force Sensitive Children so that they can be trained as Inquisitors, or to over throw the Sith Lord at a later date."

"I'm on my way to investigate the first one." Ahsoka informs.

"And you want me to check out the second. I'm in." Kanan agrees.

"You should have Ezra join you." Ahsoka offers.

"He's already briefed on the mission." I add, as Ezra falls through the vents.

"They did say it was Jedi business." He defends himself.

"Zeb might be useful to bring as well. He has proven himself against these Dark Side fuckers before." I offer. Ahsoka then heads off after a brief embrace, to go investigate the first set of coordinates. Zeb, Ezra, Kanan and I then head to the Phantom.

As we land in the spaceport, we all split up.

"Housing units?" Ezra wonders aloud, looking at where the coordinates were. "What would the Inquisitors want there? I doubt they're renting."

"Remember, they want Force Sensitive Children. Some might live in housing units." I deadpan.

"Zeb, you take a look around the spaceports for the Inquisitors' ship. If they're already here, I'd like to know." Kanan orders.

"Don't worry. If I find any sign of 'em, you'll hear about it." Zeb assures him.

"Take Chopper. Stay in touch." Kanan repeats, before we head off. I trail behind them. Once we reach the location, Ezra speaks up.

"No sign of Inquisitors." He notes.

"That's what worries me." Kanan replies. As we enter the room, it is in chaos. Furniture and household items were strewn across the floor, along with an Ithorian.

"Kanan, I-I think we're too late." Ezra says worriedly, Kanan moves to the Ithorian, and checks for a pulse.

"Over here. She's alive." He says, gesturing for us to move to him.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Oora." The Ithorian replies weakly.

"Save your strength Oora." I say, but she asks about her child. "She says her child, Pipey, was what the intruders were after. Two red blades." I say. "They didn't get her, she managed to send Pipey away with a droid." I inform them.

"I promise you, Oora, we will find your Pipey." Ezra assures her.

"When you can, Oora, go to docking bay 12. We have a ship there and will meet you there when we get your child." I instruct her, as we head off. Kanan informs Zeb of the droid and has him intercept it.

"Spectre-1." Zeb's voice calls through the comlink. "Making it back to the Phantom is not going to happen." He says.

"Copy that, Spectre-4. Where are you?" Kanan asks.

"On the move. Ran into your two friends." He replies.

"We'll be in the tower at the grid nine intersection." Kanan says, and they move off. I split off from them, and make my way back to the Phantom, only to run into the Inquisitors myself.

"What do we have here?" The Seventh Sister inquires.

"Something you will never comprehend." I answer, and simply walk past them. The Fifth Brother attempts to throw his lightsaber at me, only for it to stop mid-air and hover, before dropping onto the ground. "You have been warned." I say, before continuing on. Once I reach the docking bay, I wait. I wouldn't be too far ahead of the others, considering how close the Inquisitors were. Ezra soon reaches the closed doors of the docking bay. He then opens a channel to Kanan.

"The door is locked, Kanan, the door is locked!" He says.

"I'm a little preoccupied at the moment!" Kanan yells from down the street, both the Inquisitors on his tail. He engages them in a short duel, before being blasted back with a wave of Force energy. Ezra then steps forward, and ignites his saber.

"I don't have time to waste on you, child." The Seventh Sister says, and pushes him into the wall with the Force. They move to advance, but stop as the hanger bay doors open, revealing Ahsoka, who ignites her lightsabers. "Unexpected, but not unwelcome." The Seventh Sister says, her mask retracted, revealing her Mirialan features.

"Ezra, get the youngling to the ship." Ahsoka orders Ezra with a wink.

"You want to deal with them? Or shall I?" I ask her, making my presence known.

"I need a little practise. I'll deal with them." Ahsoka replies, and leaps at the Inquisitors. As she engages them in a duel, Ezra gets the crew up and into the Phantom.

"I know why you want the children." Ahsoka says to the Seventh Sister.

"Well, who doesn't want to be a mother?" She asks rhetorically. As the duel continues, I watch as the Fifth Brother is easily dispatched by using his power strikes to his disadvantage, while the Seventh Sister uses a more flexible form. Ahsoka still comes out on top, and holds the Inquisitor at saber point.

"You are beaten." Ahsoka declares. The Inquisitor simply laughs, as Stormtroopers arrive on scene.

"Ah, it looks like you are the one who is beaten." She says, and calls her saber back to her grasp. The Fifth Brother also stands back up. "Hmm, your capture would please Lord Vader." The Phantom then flies over head, the door open.

"Tell your Master he'll have to wait." Ahsoka retorts, as we both leap on board. The hatch closes and we leave the atmosphere.

"That was crazy, but worth it." Zeb states.

"Hmm. This isn't the first time this has happened. Ahsoka, Anakin and I had stopped this kind of thing from happening back in the Clone Wars. Palpatine doesn't seem to be following the Rule Of Two in the same aspect as Darth Bane had intended." I note.

"But now, there is no Jedi Order or Jedi in general to be able to stop this from happening." Kanan adds.

"I guess that task falls to us now." Ezra offers.


	37. Legacy

A Loth-Wolf howl echoed in my ears, waking me from my sleep. I did not know if it was the Force, or a dream, but it howled nonetheless. I got up and made my way to the common room, where Ezra had a list of imperial prisoners in front of him. His eyes were closed, as he let the Force guide him.

"Stop." Ezra says, and Kanan halts the scrolling.

"Prisoner X-10. Interesting." I say, surprising the three.

"When did you get here?" Ezra asks.

"When the Force called me. I don't know why, but it woke me up." I explain. "Hasn't happened before, so I am unsure as to what it means. But do continue."

"Well, whoever this is, they were arrested on Lothal for treason." Kanan says. "You might be on to something."

"Maybe. We have to find out." Ezra states.

"Hang on. They could be anywhere by now." Kanan argues.

"No, Kanan. Not anywhere, Lothal. It's why I keep seeing the white Loth-Cat." Ezra counters.

"And would connect my calling to yours. I heard a Loth-Wolf howl." I add. Ezra begins to look for his helmet, as Hera speaks.

"We want you to find your parents, Ezra, but even if you're right, you can't go right now. We need a plan. The entire Imperial sector fleet has the planet in a blockade." Hera says.

"Um, not anymore. Been listening in on Imperial chatter." Sabine corrects, entering the common room.

"Wait. What's up on Lothal?" Ezra asks.

"The Empire's fleet left Lothal's orbit this morning." Sabine repeats.

"Left Lothal? Where to?" Kanan asks.

"Doesn't matter, okay? This is a sign. I'm supposed to go." Ezra answers, and I hand him his helmet, which was by the holo-table the whole time.

"Yeah, something tells me we are going to have company." I say.

"You think they know where we are?" Hera asks.

"It's not unlikely. We've been on this planet for quite a while, and only one person needs to report something unusual for the Imperials to act on it." I explain. Zeb then reports he has not seen any Stormtroopers at all.

"Yeah, I think he's right. The Imperials pull back all troops just before a major strike." Sabine says grimly. Kanan, Ezra and I go to help out Zeb and Chopper, only to run into the Inquisitors.

"Well, Hello there." The Seventh Sister greets.

"You are not going to get in my way." Ezra says through clenched teeth.

"Well, then, my brave young boy." The Seventh Sister taunts. "Come and prove it." Ezra charges towards them, and Kanan skilfully shoots the control panel, closing the door that separated us from the Inquisitors.

"Ezra, I know how important getting to Lothal is." Kanan starts.

"No, Kanan. Actually, you don't know what this is like." Ezra argues.

"You're right." Kanan admits. "I never knew my parents."

"Kanan, I-I'm sorry." Ezra apologises.

"No. It's okay. It's too late for me, but maybe not for you." Kanan assures him.

"Well, if that is to happen, we better get back to the Ghost, or none of us will get a chance." I warn. We are able to get back in one piece, and the fleet got out of orbit. Sato's ship is caught in a tractor beam, while Kanan, Ezra, Chopper and I take the Phantom.

"Kanan, I'm going back for Sato and Rex. You've got your opening. Take it." Hera orders.

"We're not leaving until the fleet is safe." Kanan argues.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I gave you an order." Hera retorts. "Now, get moving. And Ezra, I hope you find what you're looking for." We then enter hyper space.

As Lothal appears in our sight, It looks like it used to. No Imperial Blockade, or anything.

"It's good to see Lothal like this. Back to how it was before everything changed." I say.

"I know." Kanan admits. "Hey, why so quiet?" He asks Ezra.

"Thank you. For everything you've done for me. You're always there when I need you most." Ezra thanks him.

"Hey. I know what it's like to lose someone close and not have anyone. When I lost my Master, I was alone. Regardless of how this turns out, I didn't want you to be." **(Bit confused on the wording of the script here.)** "So? Where do we start?" He asks.

"Home." Ezra replies. We land on the outskirts of the capital, and continue the rest of the way on foot. When we arrive at the house, however, all that remains are the charred ruins. "They burned it to the ground." Ezra says sadly.

"I guess the Empire wanted to send us a message." Kanan assumes.

"But my vision led me back here to Lothal. If my parents aren't here, where are they? What happened to them?" Ezra asks erratically.

"Slow down." I say.

"The Force is trying to tell you something. Listen to it." Kanan advises him. He closes his eyes and calms himself. A small meow catches his attention, and he looks to where it originated.

"The white Loth-Cat." Ezra says, and holds a hand for it to rub against, before giving it a rub on the chin. "Good Loth-Cat. I'm not here to hurt you, but you know that, don't you? Who do you belong to?" He asks it, and the Loth-Cat prances away. "After it!" Ezra calls, and begins chasing it.

"And we're chasing Loth-Cats now." Kanan sighs before running to catch up. I simply watch them chase it.

"At least it's entertaining to watch." I note with a shoulder shrug. They lose it, though, after it hitches a ride on a speeder. I then walk up to the duo.

"Don't worry, okay? I can track it." Ezra assures Kanan.

"What? The-The cat?" Kanan asks incredulously. "You've grown powerful if you can track that Loth-Cat with the Force."

"The Force? Kanan, I put a tracker on it." Ezra explains.

"Of course you did." Kanan replies. We follow the tracker's signal, until we reach a mountain range.

"The locator stopped just up ahead." Ezra states. "Something familiar about this." He then mutters. He then notices the speeder from the market parked nearby. "Our friend from the market." A loud crack echoes, as a blaster bolt whizzes near us.

"Jeez, Azadi, are you trying to kill me?" I call out to the shooter. "I thought you were happy with my presence on Lothal."

"Vex?" Azadi asks.

"Who the fuck else do you think would be crazy enough to call out to someone who just shot at them?" I ask back.

"I see you haven't changed over the years." He says, and lowers his rifle. Ezra and Kanan then step out from the rock they took cover behind.

"What did you expect? I am who I am." I reply cheerfully. "But, I am here to ask about Mira and Ephraim Bridger." My tone changes to one of seriousness.

"I see. Come with me." He says, and he leads us to his little hideaway, where Ezra and Kanan introduce themselves. "I can't believe you're here, Ezra. I wanted to find you, but I guess you found me first." Ryder Azadi admits.

"I know you, don't I?" Ezra asks for confirmation.

"Uh, you remember? You were pretty small back then." Azadi notes. "I was the Governor of Lothal. I supported your parents and the messages they beamed out against the Empire. It was part of the reason I was accused of treason and sent to prison with them." He explains.

"I do remember." Ezra says. "Then you know what happened to them?" He then asks.

"Yes, I do. I'm sorry, son. They are gone." Azadi answers solemnly.

"Please, tell me what happened." Ezra says.

"Your parents would stand up for those who couldn't. Especially after they heard your message." Azadi explains, to the shock of both Ezra and Kanan. "Yes. That message. That message of rebellion you beamed out somehow made its way into the deepest dark of Imperial prisons. They were inspired by it, Ezra. They rallied others to rise up and break out. Dozens of us, rebels, sympathisers are free, thanks to them. But they didn't make it. They got separated in the escape. It was just like them not to leave until everyone else got out first. But by then, it was too late."

"How? How did they know it was me? On the transmission?" Ezra asks.

"Your voice, your words, son, telling Lothal to stand up. They knew right away." Azadi explains.

"You know, they used to say it all the time when I was little." Ezra says, and heads off to watch the moons as they begin to set. Kanan heads off to be with him, while I stay with Azadi.

"It's hard these days, Ryder. Watching the Galaxy wage wars, and all the death that comes with it." I say solemnly.

"It is. I just hope that it will end without a larger scale conflict." Azadi replies.

**A/N – Alright. That's Legacy done. I felt that it would be fitting for Vex to have also been called to Lothal as well as Ezra.**


	38. Shroud of Darkness

Ezra had gotten the crew a mission. A sketchy one by the sounds of it. I tagged along, hoping to relieve some of my boredom. Being so early on in the rebellion, all that was to be done was paperwork, inventory, repairs and if lucky, go on a mission where I could make a difference. I was not there when the Quasar Carrier was captured, so that part of the fun was missed. For now, Ahsoka and I were sitting, meditating through the Holocron, listening to Anakin as he instructs through the holocron. Ezra walks in, the hiss of the door announcing his arrival.

"Why did you have us meet you out here away from the fleet?" Ezra asks us.

"It's safer this way." Ahsoka replies. The hologram of Anakin continues.

"Keeping your saber moving is the key to deflecting the fire of multiple adversaries. Fluid motion, one into the next, into the next, and so on. I've made some adjustments to the classic Form IV techniques that I think you'll find work well against droids and other ranged attackers. Here, I'll show you. One, two, three-" The hologram begins to go through the motions, Ezra watching in awe.

"He's amazing. I've watched these recordings to help me with my own saber training." Ezra states.

"You should have seen him in person. Anakin Skywalker, he was my master." Ahsoka says proudly, yet sadly.

"Kanan said he was the greatest warrior the Jedi had in the Clone Wars." Ezra notes, subtly inquiring further.

"He was powerful, rarely lost a battle. What would have surprised people was how kind he was. He cared deeply for his friends, and looked out for them until the end." Ahsoka replies solemnly, thinking back to when she was accused of bombing the Temple. The recording ended.

"Do you know what happened to him?" He asks.

"The last we saw of him, he was rushing off to save the Chancellor. Then everything changed. The war ended, and the Jedi were accused of treason." Ahsoka answers.

"This whole galaxy wide darkness reminds me of Mortis. The Father said that what would happen there would reflect upon the Galaxy." I note. "But the Jedi that survived the purge were hunted down, one by one."

"By the Inquisitors." Ezra finishes.

"Or worse." I correct. The door hisses open again as Kanan enters.

"Speaking of Inquisitors, Ahsoka, what do you think about us doing the hunting for a change?" Kanan asks.

"When you defeated one, two more came. Who's to say we wouldn't multiply our problems yet again? Not to mention Vader." Ahsoka replies in warning.

"I don't disagree with the reasoning, but the fact remains, we can't protect our friends from Vader and his Inquisitors." Kanan replies before looking to Ezra. "I can barely protect you." He states.

"I don't need protecting." Ezra denies.

"It's times like these that Anakin and I would turn to someone like Obi-Wan or Master Yoda. They always had the answer." Ahsoka notes.

"Almost always." I correct.

"Then maybe we should ask Master Yoda." Ezra offers.

"Not a bad idea." I approve.

**Sometime later**.

As we pile into the Phantom, Kanan set coordinates for Lothal, as we depart from the Ghost. As the blue streaks of hyperspace whir by, we keep silent, contemplating on our thoughts. I have an arm around Ahsoka, embracing her gently. My thoughts returning to when I met an older Ezra in the World Between Worlds, how he saves Ahsoka, and how I called for him to do so. My mind is brought back to the present as the Phantom returns to real space with a shudder. Lothal fills the viewport as we approach. The flight to the temple was short, from where we entered the atmosphere, and the Phantom lands smoothly.

"Here it is." Ezra states, gesturing to the rock formation. "If you and Kanan stand here, you can use the Force to open the Temple." Ezra informs.

"I cannot." Ahsoka states.

"Why?" Ezra asks.

"Because I am no longer a Jedi. It was my choice; I left the Order. Vex was never a part of it, so he cannot either." Ahsoka answers. Ezra understands and joins Kanan in the glyph, and open the Temple. The door we had originally gone through passes, to Ezra's confusion.

"Hey, where is the door going?" He wonders aloud.

"All Temples have multiple levels. You are more mature and developed in the ways of the Force, gaining you access to the next level." I answer. The Temple stops rising, and a second door is revealed.

"Well, new problem, new door." Kanan states with a shrug. As we all enter, Ahsoka and I both touch the rock, allowing our entrance. The Temple then closes behind us, returning to the ground.

"How did you contact Master Yoda here?" Ahsoka asks, curious.

"Well, he kind of contacted us. I thought I was dreaming when I first heard Master Yoda's voice." Ezra explains.

"And I was meditating." Kanan adds, to which I nod.

"Then perhaps that's a good place to start." Ahsoka says. The four of us take a seat on the floor, opening ourselves to the Force. I feel it shift, almost as though opening a rift.

"I see a doorway." Kanan speaks. While I can see a slight distortion where he looks, that is all I see.

"Where? I don't see anything." Ezra asks.

"Neither do I." Ahsoka adds, and I shake my head as an answer.

"Last time we spoke to Master Yoda, we were separated. Maybe this is my path alone." Kanan replies.

"Be careful!" Ezra cautions him.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't do anything you would do." He replies, before disappearing. We return to our meditation reluctantly. Time passes, and Ezra becomes curious.

"You knew Master Yoda?" He asks Ahsoka and I.

"Yes. He taught almost all of the younglings in the Temple at one point or another." Ahsoka answers.

"Kanan described him to me. Small, green, and wrinkly with pointy ears. But he didn't know what he was really like." Ezra states, and Ahsoka smiles.

"I'm not sure anyone did. He was wise, kind, but when I was young, he seemed happier. As the Clone War dragged on, he carried a great burden, a deep sorrow, as if he knew before anyone else that one time was ending, and another beginning." Ahsoka answered. The Force rippled, and we both open our eyes, to see Ezra gone.

"And now it is just us. And the visions of the Force." I note. While Ahsoka returns to meditation, I stay alert, the Force surging in pulses. Soon, voices begin calling to us.

"Ahsoka. Ahsoka, why did you leave?" Anakin's voice asks. "Where were you when I needed you?"

"I made a choice. I couldn't stay." Ahsoka answers, tears brimming her eyes. She felt responsible for not being there when he needed her, and the Temple was playing on that.

"You were selfish." Anakin scolds.

"No." Ahsoka denies quietly.

"You abandoned me! You failed me! Do you know, what I have become?" He asks, as Vader's mechanical breathing echoes.

"No." She denies again, tears falling. "NO!" She activates her main lightsaber, slashing at the vision, which disappears. I move to her side, embracing her. "Why?" She sobs.

"Padme. If I had to guess, he was tricked with Padme as the bait. His love used against him." I answer in my own understanding of how Anakin would most likely be turned. I continue to hold her as tears fall freely down her face. Time passes, the two of us still in an embrace, when the Temple shudders, and stones begin to fall. "We have to go. The others will catch up." I say. We make our way to the exit, joining back up with Kanan and Ezra.

"You won't believe what I-" Ezra begins.

"Tell us later! Come on!" Kanan cuts him off, the collapsing Temple the more pressing matter. Ahsoka and I turn around to see Yoda, smiling. After a moment, we continue on, escaping on board the Phantom, where Ezra informs us of what he saw.

"I saw Master Yoda." He states happily.

"Saw him? What did he say?" Kanan asks.

"He said to find Malachor." Ezra explains, to the paling of Kanan's face. "Who's Malachor?" He asks.

"Not a person. A place. A very dark place." I answer, dread filling me at the name.

**A/N – Updated….ish… Not much was ever really planned for this chapter, but more of a filler for before Malachor. Maybe one day I will find a way to add more into this chapter… maybe a trial for Vex… but we will have to wait and see.**


	39. Twilight of the Apprentice

Rex had come to see us off. He was concerned about Ahsoka going to Malachor, knowing the Jedi history of it.

"Once we drop out of hyper space, we'll be going dark." Ahsoka informs him.

"Are you sure about this?" Rex asks.

"Yes." Ahsoka replies.

"You don't have to go to Malachor alone, Ahsoka. I could be there in two rotations." Rex offers.

"I'm not alone, Rex." Ahsoka assures him.

"You know, I could have ordered you to take me along." Rex states.

"You don't exactly outrank me anymore." Ahsoka retorts cheerfully.

"In my book, experience outranks everything." Rex repeats his belief.

"Hmm, then I definitely outrank you." Ahsoka replies with a grin.

"May the Force be with you." Rex replies, embracing Ahsoka for what may be the last time. **(Don't know if they see each other again after this in continuity. Hopefully, Disney will make it happen one day.)**

"Why is Rex so worried? What does he know that I don't?" Ezra asks.

"Malachor has always been off-limits to Jedi." Kanan informs him.

"Why?" Ezra asks, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Because of the past. An ancient Jedi, Revan, used a superweapon on the planet to petrify all living things. In the process, a nearby planet, Malachor V, was destroyed." I inform him. "The Jedi say it's a legend, but the Force says it's more."

"There is always truth in legends." Ahsoka adds with a sigh.

"If Malachor is off-limits, why would he send us here?" Ezra then asks.

"Knowledge. That is what we seek." I answer cryptically. The Phantom lands on crusted earth, and we step foot upon it. Chopper informs us of a ship nearby.

"Get a fix on its location." Kanan orders the astromech, while Ezra is intrigued with the pillars.

"What are these things?" He asks.

"I don't know. It has been lost through time." I say.

"This writing – it's in the old tongue." Ahsoka notes.

"Can you read it?" Kanan asks.

"I can try." She replies with a sigh, and begins to translate it. Ezra, the Force calling to him, places his hand on the monolith-like stone. "No! Ezra, don't!" Ahsoka tries to warn, but too late, as we all fall through the top layer of the planet, landing in the remains of history. Ezra, who regains himself first, notices a large structure.

"What is that?" He asks in wonder.

"A Sith Temple." I inform him, as I help Ahsoka and Kanan get on their feet. "Master Yoda must have known the stories were more than legends." I mutter. Chopper then grumbles through the coms.

"Oh, we might fall through the surface? Thanks for the warning, Chop." Ezra retorts.

"Any fix on that ship yet?" Kanan asks, and is answered with an affirmative. "Well, he picked up the trail. This way." Kanan informs us, and we follow his lead. Along the way, Ezra asks for more detail.

"Ahsoka, you said we're here to find knowledge. What kind of knowledge?" He asks.

"The forbidden kind. To defeat your enemy, you have to understand them." She explains.

"No better place to learn about the Sith, I guess." Kanan remarks.

"There are better, but we would not return without having been corrupted." I correct. Kanan glares at me, before looking at the ground.

"The ground looks scorched." Kanan mutters.

"Whoa, Kanan! Look, a lightsaber." Ezra says, holding a cross guard hilt. He ignites the saber, for its green blade to emerge momentarily, before spluttering out, broken and no longer working. He puts the saber back on the ground.

"The Scourge of Malachor. This is what remains." I say, answering his unasked question. "The Jedi may have won, but they lost many of their own due to Revan activating the weapon."

"Hate to break up this history lesson, but we should keep moving." Kanan retorts, gaining our attention. Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement, but ignore it.

"Well, if you ask me, this whole planet is a riddle." Ahsoka notes.

"So if it's a riddle, what's the question?" Kanan asks.

"Why is Kanan such a-" Ezra stops as he sees movement, and his instincts blare. "Get down!" He yells, as an Inquisitor, hiding in the remains, shows himself, his gyro-spinning lightsaber ignited.

"Four Jedi?" The Inquisitor wonders aloud, showing his surprise.

"An Inquisitor." Ezra notes. Said Inquisitor then leaps up, and fires small projectiles,

"Take cover!" I warn, the projectiles hitting the ground nearby, collapsing the floor, of which Ezra was still on, taking him down a level.

"Ezra! Ezra, can you hear me?" Kanan asks in worry.

"I'm okay." Ezra replies.

"He's getting away, let's go!" Ahsoka urges.

"Don't worry about me, I'll catch up!" Ezra assures us, and Kanan reluctantly catches up to Ahsoka.

"Tell your friend down there I owe him for his help." I say cryptically, before making my way to Ahsoka and Kanan.

"I've never had an Inquisitor run from me before." Kanan notes, as we give chase.

"Maybe it's because he's outnumbered." Ahsoka mused.

"No. He's hunting a shadow. One I know all too well." I correct them. "He was unprepared for us, as he is only after a single being, whom of which is far more capable than him."

"Then who is this shadow?" Kanan asks.

"You will have to wait and see." I answer. Chopper grumbles through the coms.

"You found the ship? Where?" Kanan asks, the response troubling him. "No, no. Forget it, no time! Get over there and find that ship. Do not let him take off!" Kanan orders, to which Chopper warbles in reply. "No, disobeying _me_ is dangerous. Now get going!" He replies.

"I take it Chopper did not want to help?" I ask.

"The usual. But he knows by now that its not the Inquisitor he should be worried about." Kanan states, to which I smile. Once we reach Choppers beacon, he had already taken the ship and was using against the Inquisitor, allowing us to knock him out.

"Good job, Chopper." I praise the astromech, who whoops in satisfaction. Kanan bind the Inquisitor, and we begin to haul him towards the Temple. By the time we reach it, energy radiated through it.

"Why do I know Ezra is involved in this somehow?" Kanan asks rhetorically.

"Because he is." I answer. "Now, you are the fourth Inquisitor we have seen. How many of them are you?" I ask.

"More than enough for the likes of you." The Inquisitor retorts.

"So, considering we can kill you right here and now, along with the other two you have called here, as well as the Grand Inquisitor, the one Ahsoka has already killed as well, how many are left?" I ask, counting off each one killed or going to be killed that I know of. Fear and shock then radiates off him, answering my question. "Ah, the last three then. Good to know." I say, before Chopper interrupts through coms, warbling away in warning. "And there are your friends. They will not leave this planet alive." I chide, a smile across my face.

Whirring lightsabers gained my attention, as the Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister come flying in.

"Okay, that's irritating. They can fly." I note, a scowl on my face. The Inquisitor that was bound, suddenly calls his lightsaber to him, freeing himself, and joining the other Inquisitors.

"An excellent day's hunt." The Seventh Sister declares, before the Temple doors open, revealing Ezra, and the shadow.

"Guys! I brought help." He says, gesturing behind him. Ahsoka and Kanan look to him, shock on their face, while I simply smile.

"Maul." Ahsoka gasps.

"The Shadow." The newly discovered Inquisitor states.

"What fun." Maul states, before laughing maniacally. "What fun." He repeats.

"So, the rumours are true. Darth Maul lives." The Seventh Sister notes, spinning her lightsaber in interest.

"Formerly Darth, now just Maul." He corrects.

"Ezra, step away from him!" Kanan warns.

"Kanan, I swear he's on our side!" Ezra argues.

"Perhaps my actions will speak louder than words." Maul declares, detaching his lightsaber from his cane, and igniting it, before leaping into battle, effectively challenging all three Inquisitors with ease.

"What are we waiting for?" Ezra asks, igniting his saber. Maul then engages in a saber lock with the Seventh Sister.

"Why would you come here?" She asks.

"He knows of the artefact!" The Fifth Brother correctly assumes. He attempts to cut Maul down from the side, only for Kanan to block the strike. The Eighth Brother then attempts to strike from the other side, but is blocked by Ahsoka.

"The Holocron, do you have it?" The Eighth Brother asks.

"You will find out soon enough." Maul answers, and the Inquisitors break off from their blade locks.

"Fall back!" The Seventh Sister orders, and the three Inquisitors take flight, retreating. Ahsoka, Kanan and I then walk closer to Maul.

"Maul, what game are you playing?" Ahsoka asks.

"I am the enemy of your enemy now, and I have my own reasons for wanting the Empire to fall, but we have little time. The one they call Vader will be here soon." Maul warns.

"How do you know this?" Kanan asks.

"His dogs will tell him where we are. Two Jedi and a… part timer… and whatever you classify yourself as. He will not be able to resist us." Maul states.

"Okay, hold on, there is no 'us.' And dealing with Inquisitors is one thing, Vader is another. And I'm not convinced we're all on the same side anyway." Kanan argues.

"Kanan, we should trust him." Ezra defends Maul, taking out the Sith Holocron to show. "We took this from the Temple together! That's why we came here, right? To find out about the Sith. To find a way to beat them. Ahsoka, you said we came here for knowledge." He protests.

"Ezra. No Jedi can unlock a Sith Holocron. It is physically impossible." I inform him.

"But you may unlock the Temple itself." Maul offers.

"The Temple which caused all of this destruction? Maybe. But think of it this way, Maul. You will die as well, along with Vader, but the Emperor will still be alive, continuing his tyrannical hold on the Galaxy. He will find another Vader." I advise him.

"How? Tell me how?" Ezra asks, too eager.

"Ezra, stop. If you activate that Temple, the only knowledge you will gain is how we die." I warn.

"At the top of the Temple is a chamber. Connect the Holocron to the Obelisk within and you can unlock the ancient knowledge of the Sith." Maul entices him.

"Why are you working so hard to keep us here?" Ahsoka asks.

"I cannot defeat Vader alone." Maul admits.

"I say we stay with him." Ezra states, worry etching onto my face.

"Sadly, a lesson must be learned here, Kanan. We need to stay." I advise him sadly. "It may be the only way you can move forward after this." Kanan sighs, and informs Chopper of their extended stay.

"Oh, how exciting. We're all on the same side." Maul states half sarcastically.

"Actually, no, we are not. This is where I cannot join you in ascending the Temple. I must find my own way. The Rule of Two hinders me." I admit. "I will join you when I can, but be wary." I warn, before entering the shadows, one last comment from Maul is heard.

"Always was one to hide." He murmurs with distaste. While the four of them used the Force elevators, I began to scale the Temple, using the Force to aid my climb. It was too high for me to Force jump, and I had no ascension cable, so I had to free climb with the Force. One level away from the peak, the Temple shudders, pure power coursing through the structure, and I move faster. As I reach the top, I emerge from the shadows, and infront of me, Ahsoka looks face to face with Darth Vader.

"It was foretold that you would be here. Our long awaited meeting has come at last." Vader rumbles.

"I'm glad I gave you something to look forward to." Ahsoka remarks.

"We need not be adversaries. The Emperor will show you mercy, if you tell me where the remaining Jedi can be found." Vader offers, deactivating his lightsaber.

"There are no Jedi. You and your Inquisitors have seen to that." Ahsoka accuses.

"Perhaps this child, will confess what you will not." Vader threatens, looking to Ezra, who was on the floor, scared for his life, his lightsaber in pieces.

"I was beginning to believe I knew who you were, behind that mask. But it's impossible. My Master could never be as vile as you." Ahsoka spits.

"Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him." Vader corrects, at least in his eyes.

"Then I will avenge his death." Ahsoka answers, determination in her eyes.

"Revenge is not the Jedi way." Vader accuses.

"I am no Jedi." Ahsoka declares, igniting her pure white lightsabers, and engages Vader in a duel, while Ezra regains his composure. He attempts to take the Holocron, only to be thrown back by a pulse of energy.

"It takes a Master and an apprentice!" Kanan calls to him, as he makes his way to Ezra. They exchange some words, before removing the Holocron.

"The Temple's starting to collapse!" Ezra warns, the peak beginning to close. Chopper opens up the Phantom's door, urging the two to move faster. "We're coming as fast as we can! Just be ready to go- Whoa!" Ezra is cut off, as Vader begins to call the Holocron, and Ezra, who was holding it, towards him. "No, no, no, no, no! Kanan! It's him!" He cries out.

"I know! I got you!" Kanan assures him, holding his arm in an attempt to keep him still. Ahsoka, recovered from her fall, slashes at Vader, releasing the duo from the Force grip.

"Ahsoka! Come on, hurry!" Ezra calls in worry. Ahsoka begins to stand, only for Vader to call to her.

"Ahsoka." He calls, his voice half Vader's, half Anakin's. "Ahsoka." He repeats, looking at her, his damaged mask showing his scarred face.

"Anakin." Ahsoka gasps. They both stand up, and face each other. "I won't leave you. Not this time." She declares defiantly. Vader, or Anakin as he once was, takes a moment to think, before answering.

"Then you will die." He says, and ignites his lightsaber, approaching Ahsoka.

"Ahsoka!" Ezra calls, and attempts to get back in the temple, only for Ahsoka to push him back with the Force, before blocking a strike from Vader. "No! No!" Ezra is cut off from us.

"And now it begins. Ezra, when the time comes, you save her. Do you understand, you saver her!" I call out, knowing an older Ezra was watching. I then make my way to the Obelisk, and attempt to absorb as much of the pent up energy as possible. I scream in agony, as the overwhelming power. As Ahsoka is forced back, part of the roof shatters, and the energy build up becomes even more unstable. "Anakin! I kept my promise to you, and will continue to keep it, whether you try to stop me or not!" I yell to him, and Ahsoka pushes him back with the Force, before thrusting her sabers into the floor, causing it to crack. "EZRA! NOW!" I yell, and watch as Ahsoka is taken to the World Between Worlds, and Vader fall through the damaged floor. With one last defiant yell, I released the absorbed energy along with the Temple, the pure power shattering the peak, as darkness called me into its embrace.

**Some time later.**

Ahsoka had wandered through the Temple for some time, before she found the unconscious form of Vex. His left arm half shredded, and energy slowly replacing the damage. He had made sure she would live another day, risking his own, likely knowing that she would survive anyway. As she stroked his slightly charred hair.

"The things you do, and for a guarantee." She mutters.

"Still worth it." Vex croaks out, regaining consciousness. "Gonna hurt for a little while though."

"What would you expect?" Ahsoka asks him with a shake of her head.

"Nothing really different with the stunt I pulled. Anakin still has a purpose. I made sure the built up energy didn't still kill him. He will still bring balance." Vex says, groaning as I sit up-right.

"It really seems to be a re-enacting of Mortis. I seemingly died, to Ezra, yet really he saved me, taking the role of the Daughter." Ahsoka notes.

"That he does." He agrees. "But we will need to find him. The Space Whales have taken him somewhere in the Unknown Regions, and that is a lot of space to cover."

"Hmmm. What is the plan?" She asks.

"I'll have the Valkyrie send someone to pick us up. I still intend on helping the Rebellion in secret, little things they won't notice, but will help. But our main priority, is finding Ezra." He explains, signalling the Valkyrie for a pick up.

_Vex saved several members of Blue Squadron during the Battle of Scarriff, listed as Blue Leader, Blue Two, Five, Six, Eight and Ten. They then joined his forces on the Valkyrie. He helped out Gold Squadron during the Battle of Yavin, but unfortunately, could only save Gold Five, Davish Krail. Eventually, the Father guided Vex, Ahsoka and Sabine, along with the crew of the Valkyrie, to a medieval era Earth, where, in secret, The crew helped build the Temple that Vex would one day find, hidden just deep enough to stay hidden even when homes would be built on top. Sabine and Ezra stay on planet and start a new life and family, their last name changing over the generations to that of Hunter. Vex, Ahsoka and the crew of the Valkyrie would disappear, appearing only in desperate times of need for the Galaxy. It is unknown as to whether Vex or Ahsoka are still alive, but they still watch over us in spirit._

**A/N – Alright, that's it for book 1. I'm not sure what storyline Book 2 will be based on, but it will be written one day. Until then.**


	40. Scarif

Scarif was always going to be a bloodbath. The Rebel's simply were not prepared for combat, with most members lacking any experience. All the more reason as to why I should be there.

"Blaze. Get a Percheron Class Carrier ready for launch. Get Tombstone squadron ready as well. Set course for Scarif." I order through the comlink built into the Archangel.

"What about you, general?" He asks, though likely already knew how I would respond.

"I'll be in the midst of it. Just make sure to be there on time." I answer, cutting the connection. The speakers begin to blare, an officer's voice echoing through the base.

"All flight personnel, please report to your commanders immediately. All flight personnel, please report to your commanders immediately. We've been redirected to Scarif. Pilots, you'll be briefed by your squadron leaders en route. May the Force be with you." In mere seconds, the hangers of the Massassi temple bustle with pilots and engineers, preparing for battle. I notice General Antoc Merrick making his way to his own X-Wing.

"General!" I call to him, catching his attention. "I'll be tagging along with Blue Squadron. I have some reinforcements ready for battle as well." I advise him.

"Understood. Make sure not to fall behind." He jests, his compassion for others immediately visible, before he continues on his way. Closing the canopy of the Archangel, the engines ignite in harmony, the purr of anticipation. Lifting off the ground, I weave out of the hanger, breaking to orbit, where the small fleet awaited for the jump to hyperspace. "Alright. Some of our guys infiltrated an Imperial data complex… Without permission. Normally, this would not involve us. However, they claim that they are obtaining the plans for the Empire's new superweapon. Our job is to make sure the intel is delivered." General Merrick explains. "Further orders will be received at our destination." A chorus of affirmatives called through the comlink.

"All ships, this is Base One. All clear to jump." The officers back on base inform us. Within moments, each Capital Ship, cruiser, frigate, corvette, gunship and snub-fighter makes the jump. With a slight lurch, the blue streaks of hyperspace replace the view.

The warning alarms bring me back to the moment, alerting me of the imminence of reverting to real space. Within moments, the blue streaks of hyperspace return to darkness, illuminated by the distant stars and the planet below. The fleet continues to form up as more of the ships emerge from hyperspace, the lead Capital Ship an MC75 Cruiser. The comlink crackles to life.

"This is Admiral Raddus of the Rebel Alliance. All squadron leaders report in." The renown Admiral calls to the fleet.

"Admiral, this is Blue Leader, standing by." General Antoc Merrick calls in.

"This is Gold Leader, standing by." Jon Vander reports.

"This is Red Leader, standing by." Garven Dreis adds. The two Imperial Class Star Destroyers lay in wait, not yet opening fire upon the threat we pose. At least we still had the element of surprise.

"Red and Gold Squadrons, attack formations. Defend the fleet. Blue Squadron, get to the surface before they close that gate!" Admiral Raddus orders.

"Copy you Admiral. Blue Squadron, on me!" General Merrick calls. A chorus of affirmatives once more echo through the comms. Diving towards the open Shield Gate, the entirety of Blue Squadron, including the two U-Wings as well as myself attempt to squeeze through. As each of us pass close by, the anti-air defences emplaced along the Shield Gate open fire on us, with a lucky shot taking down one of the pilots. Moments after I pass the gate, a light blue hue paints the back of the Archangel as the gate closes, cutting us off from the fight in orbit, and stranding us within, slightly reducing the max speed of our fighters.

"Gate's closed, General. We're on our own." I inform him.

"All wings call in." General Merrick orders a headcount. 12, take 3

"Blue 2, standing by." Torius Chord called in, followed by 13 other pilots. **(Watching the footage, I counted that 15 X-Wings made it to the surface.)** In the distance, several AT-ACP Walkers stood, only to be towered by the data vault.

"Looks like the troops need a hand. Form up, target the walkers." General Merrick orders. Pushing against the wind resistance, the X-Wings are slower than usual, therefore, Blue Squadron wa disadvantage already… although they didn't show it too much, as the moment they were in range, the first AT-ACP fell in moments, followed by another, and another, until there were no more. With the armour down, Blue Eleven's U-Wing would be able to reinforce the troops. "Blue Eleven, reinforce those troops on the beach. All fighters, on me. We have to shield them from air attack." Merrick orders, as Blue Eleven closes the s-foils of the U-Wing, reducing speed and hovering inches above the sand as the troops held within the bay were released onto the battlefield. Our relief is short lived, however, as what looks to be new TIE variants close in on us at alarming speeds.

"Incoming. 11:30, 12 degrees." I warn, just a little too late as these TIE fighters open fire, gunning down two of our fighters.

"Gain some altitude, lure them away from Blue Eleven as they support the ground forces." Merrick calls. The 13 remaining X-Wings rise, taking the attention away from the ground as both forces battle now for air superiority.

"Goddammit, Tombstone. We're running out of time." I mutter to myself, gaining some altitude of my own, avoiding the stray shots from the new TIE's. Blue Squadron was holding up rather well to start, but these TIE's just kept coming. For every one that is destroyed… two or more would replace them. We were outnumbered and outgunned. One of the TIE's break off, gunning for me. "So now ya notice me, huh?" I wonder aloud, dropping speed, forcing the TIE to manoeuvre as to avoid an impact. As he passes by, I fire a single plasma shot, hitting the TIE directly in the engines, forcing it into a spiral of doom, crashing into the water with an impact equal to hitting durasteel.

"Got one on my tail!" A frantic call from Blue 2 gains my attention. Finding his aura through the Force, I watch in concern as a lone TIE tails them.

"I'm on 'em." Merrick assures him, taking the tail of the TIE and swiftly destroying it.

"We can't hold out like this much longer, General. We should make a gap between us and the vault, or risk our demise." I warn in urgency.

"I'm not leaving the area until we have those plans. They are vital to the destruction of that weapon." Merrick retorts. A wave of nausea overcomes me, as I see double vision: _Two X-Wings attacking three TIE's and what looks to be a transport. One X-Wing is shot down, as the second returns the favour twice fold._ **(Technically, he only shot down one, but this is more impressive.)** _The remaining TIE, along with two new ones tail them, hitting their upper starboard engine, causing the X-Wing to spiral to its doom._ "Blue Two, with me. Incoming transport." Merrick calls, a surge of worry pulsing in my entire being. Making my way to their position, Blue Two is swiftly gunned down. Merrick, just like I saw, takes two TIE's in compensation, before earning a tail.

"General! Behind you!" Another pilot calls through frantically, too far away to do anything. In a split second, now in range, I open fire, hitting two of the three TIE's tailing the General, while he evades the final one, before another of Blue Squadron picks them off.

"Thanks for the save." Merrick audibly sighs in relief. Before I can reply, another voice calls through the comms.

"Didn't arrive too late for the party did we?" A feminine voice asks in jest.

"Good to hear you Hawkins. Get the fighters in the air. Have the bombers support the ground troops." I order. The Percheron held 16 of the R-22 Spearheads used by the early rebel forces. The difference, was that these fighters had been modified, giving them shields equivalent to a TIE Defender, and a new hull plating made of multiple different metals, overall increasing the durability of the normally fragile strike-craft. Along with these, were eight BTL-B Y-Wings that were used in the Clone Wars. Unlike those that the Rebels use, these still had their gunner turret, meaning it was a two seater craft. These were also modified with increased armour, hull and shielding. The hanger was large enough that even with all 24 of these ships docked, there was enough room for all of Blue Squadron as well.

"On it." She replies, cutting the transmission.

"Blue Squadron, listen up. Reinforcements are here. Tombstone will join us in the air, as well as provide bombing support where they can." I inform, to which cheers of relief echo back. "This isn't the end. We need to continue until that shield is down, or those plans wont get through."

"Leave it to us, Sir." One of the pilots attempts to assure me.

"Oh, I ain't leaving you guys just yet. Merrick, make sure everyone is ready to dock with the carrier on short notice. As soon as that shield is down, we need to leave." I order.

"All wings, call in." Merrick calls.

"Blue 5, standing by." Farns Monsbee calls in, followed by Blue 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 21 and 24. Within seconds of the final member calling in, the comm chatter increases exponentially, as all Rebel frequencies that were jammed, come online.

"Shield is down. Plans transmitting now." A robotic voice says. "Transmission sent. Alert, alert, project Stardust has arrived."

"Oh, that can't be good." One of Blue Squadron notes.

"No. It's not. All ships, dock. That superweapon isn't here on a social call." I order.

"What about the troops on the ground?" Merrick asks in concern.

"I'm not sure we have enough time. You can try, but it will be risky." I explain.

"Alright. Blue 11, see if you can find any survivors. Bring them home." Merrick orders. The sole U-Wing breaks off and begins it's search.

"Generals, we're picking up massive energy readings." Hawkins relays.

"They're powering up. We don't have much time. Merrick, have your squad dock now! Blue 11, have your scanners found anyone?" I ask.

"Only two, Sir. On the beach." She responds.

"Pick them up, then make the jump to base. You won't have enough time to dock. We'll meet you back there." I explain in a hurry, as I land in the hanger of the Percheron. Everyone was accounted for. Our attention is gained as a massive, yet accurate beam of energy obliterates the communication array on the vault, passing through and impacting the ocean.

"They're on board. Preparing for jump." Blue 11 informs, before they disappear from the scanners, having jumped.

"All hands. Prepare for phase jump." Hawkins' voice echoes through the ship. It was over.

**A/N – Alright. This one was always going to be a difficult chapter for me to do. The reason I don't usually make chapters where new shit happens is because I have difficulties with understanding other characters and how they act in situations, or how they have their personality. It takes longer for me to be able to use a character like Antoc Merrick especially when there is not much info on him. Hopefully this will do for now. Take care.**


End file.
